Seasoned NASCAR & Kansas Speedway executive with Midwest roots to lead inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at Fastest Short Track on the Planet
NEWTON, Iowa (Feb. 8, 2024) — NASCAR announced today that longtime NASCAR and Kansas Speedway executive Eric Peterson has been named President of Iowa Speedway. The Linconville, Kan., native assumes his duties immediately, as the facility prepares to host its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series weekend, June 14-16.
“Eric has a strong Midwest work ethic and an incredible passion for our sport,” said Chip Wile, NASCAR senior vice president and chief track properties officer. “He also has a proven track record of developing relationships with major national and local brands, making him the ideal choice to lead the top professional sports venue in the state of Iowa.”
Most recently, Peterson served as NASCAR‘s Senior Director, Corporate Sales, West Region, but has held various corporate sales roles since starting with International Speedway Corporation and Kansas Speedway in 2010. Peterson holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Emporia State University, and he will relocate to Iowa with his wife Ashley and two children later this month.
“I‘ve been incredibly fortunate to work on several initiatives at Iowa Speedway in recent years, and I‘ve come to love and appreciate what Iowa Speedway means to Newton and the entire state,” said Peterson. “As we get ready for our first-ever NASCAR Cup Series event and the Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol race weekend, I look forward to working together with our talented team and partners to make it an event our loyal NASCAR fans won‘t soon forget.”
The Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol is Sunday, June 16, and will be the first Cup Series race in the track‘s history. Tickets for that race sold out in December, but fans who still want to see Cup Series cars at the Fastest Short Track on the Planet can see them in person by purchasing tickets for the ARCA Menards Series race on Friday, June 14, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, June 15. The Cup Series is scheduled to be on track all three days during this historic weekend, with practice scheduled for Friday, June 14 and Busch Light Pole Award qualifying set for Saturday, June 16.
Given the limited amount of tickets remaining for Friday and Saturday‘s action, race fans are encouraged to visit www.iowaspeedway.com or call 866-787-8946 now to secure their seats before it‘s too late.
About Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway, The Fastest Short Track on the Planet, is a state-of-the-art 7/8-mile asphalt paved tri-oval racetrack and motorsports facility located in Newton, Iowa. Our 2024 schedule includes two exciting race weekends: June 14-16 (NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, ARCA Menards Series) and July 13-14 (Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend). For more information on Iowa Speedway, visit www.iowaspeedway.com
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation‘s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Seriesu2122, NASCAR Xfinity Seriesu2122, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Seriesu2122), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Associationu2122 (IMSAu00ae) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championshipu2122, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat
