Pioneer Hi-Bred to sponsor NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway and Pioneer Hi-Bred announced Wednesday the DuPont business has signed on to sponsor the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in May at the 7/8-mile oval track in Newton. The race is the first of five major race weekends on two Nationwide events at the track. The Iowa Speedway will also host a Nationwide race in August. The NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series will hold two events at the track for the first time this year, and the IZOD IndyCar Series Iowa IndyCar 250 is a part of the schedule as well.

The NNS Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 is set for Sunday, May 20.

Here is part of the news release from the Iowa Speedway:

Pioneer Hi-Bred Named Title Sponsor for NASCAR Nationwide Race at Iowa Speedway

Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 Will Be Held May 20, 2012

JOHNSTON, Iowa – Feb. 22, 2012 – Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, and Iowa Speedway today announced Pioneer as the title sponsor for the May NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Iowa Speedway. The Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 will be held Sunday, May 20, at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.

“This is a great event for the state of Iowa,” said Todd Frazier, Pioneer business director for Iowa and Missouri. “The race shines a spotlight on the state and helps showcase how Iowa agriculture is stepping up to the challenge to help meet the food and fuel needs of the world.”

Last year marked the first time Iowa Speedway hosted two NASCAR Nationwide Series events in the same season. The May 2011 Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway was a standing-room-only event, and the race was one of the highest attended events in speedway history with over 37,000 people.

Pioneer has helped sponsor NASCAR Nationwide and IndyCar events at Iowa Speedway for several years. This marks its first event as a title sponsor. In addition, Pioneer will be the pole sponsor of the second NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season at the Iowa Speedway in August.

Iowa Speedway's vice president of sales and marketing, Chuck Spicer, spoke about Pioneer Hi-Bred's involvement and how race fans will benefit because of it.

“Given that a majority of our fan base is tied into and around agriculture, it is a natural fit that Pioneer Hi-Bred has come on as the title sponsor for our first NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season,” Spicer said. “Pioneer's presence at Iowa Speedway will enhance a race fan's experience while out here on race weekend. From pre-race week promotions to at-track activation, fans will be the forefront of what we do. ”

Iowa Speedway is a state-of-the-art 7/8 mile asphalt paved tri-oval race track and motorsports facility located just 30 miles east of Des Moines at I-80 Exit 168 in Newton, Iowa. The track is owned and operated by U.S. Motorsport Corporation and designed by former NASCAR Champion Rusty Wallace, now an anchor and analyst for ABC-TV/ESPN. Iowa Speedway is designed for year-round use and includes 30,000 permanent grandstand seats. Call 1-866-RUSTY-GO, visit www.iowaspeedway.com, “like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @IowaSpeedway to learn more.