Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Attains Gold Certification From the Council for Responsible Sport
Indy Car at Iowa Speedway
The 2023 Weekend at Iowa Speedway Becomes the Second Motorsports Event Worldwide to be Certified at the Gold Level
NEWTON, Iowa (November 22, 2023) — Bringing a new level of social and environmental commitment to what has become one of Iowa’s and INDYCAR’s most popular summertime events, the 2023 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway has been awarded Gold certification by the Council for Responsible Sport. The annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader weekend – hosted July 21-23 this past summer – is the first event in Iowa to achieve gold-level certification by the world’s leading sustainability certification agency dedicated to sports events and organizations.
Since 2007, the Council for Responsible Sport has certified more than 200 events worldwide and is acknowledged as the preeminent authority in helping to measure and manage the societal and environmental effects of global sporting events. The agency’s thorough assessment takes into consideration several critical areas when evaluating events that help create and exemplify a healthier society, economy and environment. Certification is accomplished through achievement in several identified areas including: planning and communications, procurement, resource management, access, equity and community engagement.
Through its increased sustainability efforts, significant economic impact and community outreach programs, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend was intentionally diverse and inclusive on its path to reaching gold-level certification. Focused on making a positive environmental impact, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend worked with its partners to implement a broad recycling and waste diversion program to become the most sustainable race weekend in the 16-year history of INDYCAR races at Iowa Speedway.
“Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend has become one of the most unique and popular events in Iowa and on the INDYCAR calendar and we are so proud that the 2023 racing and entertainment festival at Iowa Speedway has achieved Gold certification for its commitment to driving positive environmental and social change,” said Anne Fischgrund, General Manager of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend. “This honor recognizes Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend’s dedication to sustainability, inclusivity and community engagement, and we are already working on ways the event can make an even greater impact in 2024.”
With an estimated crowd of approximately 85,000 over the course of the three-day weekend in July at Iowa Speedway, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend delivered a memorable entertainment experience in 2023. The weekend featured this season’s only NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader race weekend, along with the rising stars of racing competing with INDY NXT by Firestone, combined with world-class live music on the trackside Hy-Vee stage all weekend featuring concerts from Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band and Ed Sheeran.
Building on the momentum of the trailblazing environmental initiatives implemented by INDYCAR, designed to dramatically reduce the overall carbon footprint across the sport, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend focused on several key areas in 2023 to enhance overall sustainability and drive the event toward a greener future.
Track partners worked collaboratively with event organizers to recycle 72.96 tons of cardboard, bottles and cans, divert 160.65 tons of waste from local landfills and donate 4.57 tons of prepared, unserved food, packaged snacks and beverages to local food pantries to help feed Central Iowans in need. Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend also supported Hy-Vee’s efforts to fight hunger across the U.S. through its “100 Million Meals Challenge” in partnership with Feeding America, as well as its longstanding commitment to supporting veterans and active military members.
In addition to efforts during the three-day event weekend at Iowa Speedway, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend expanded its community outreach at events across Central Iowa and launched unique programs to bring people closer to the sport and to the event itself. The INDYCAR Iowa Art Car program was one example that featured local youth and area artists decorating an actual INDYCAR chassis during the summer months before displaying the car at Iowa Speedway during race weekend.
With a structured certification process, the Council for Responsible Sport provides a clear path for events and venues to measure, implement, assess and improve their social and environmental efforts. In 2023, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway joined the Detroit Grand Prix and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the only NTT INDYCAR SERIES events and venues to receive Council for Responsible Sport certification. The Detroit Grand Prix and Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend are the first two motorsport events in history to achieve Gold level certification.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, to be hosted July 12-14, at Iowa Speedway. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.hyveeindycarweekend.com/.
