Iowa natives Gase, Annett, Norris up to challenge of Iowa Speedway homecoming

NEWTON — The inherent pressure of racing at your home racetrack was once again a topic of discussion Friday at Iowa Speedway.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is back again for the first of its annual pair of races, beginning with Saturday's American Ethanol 250, and once again, guys like Cedar Rapids native Joey Gase are back with an added sense of importance to run well for friends and family — and sponsors.

Gase isn't the only one with that feeling this weekend, either. Freemont native Chad Norris is crew chief for Brennan Poole, who drives the No. 48 for Ganassi Racing, and is back leading a team at Iowa Speedway for the fifth straight season. Des Moines native Michael Annett is back in the Xfinity Series, driving the No. 5 for JR Motorsports, and is back at Iowa Speedway for the first time since 2013.

All three relish the chance to be competing at this level in their home state, and that added meaning pushes them just a little bit harder.

'You always want to do well everywhere you go, but there's always the added pressure when you come home to Iowa,' Gase said. 'You know you're going to have a lot of fans here and you want to do good for them.

'I've been racing here since I was 15, so it's a track I really want to do well at — and a track I feel like I'm good at.'

The drivers get the most amount of attention for returns home, by nature.

Gase has made 11 starts at Iowa Speedway in an Xfinity Series car racing for Jimmy Means and GO FAS Racing with an average finish of 27.2, but also raced there a handful of times in a Late Model as a teenager, as he mentioned. Annett had eight starts for Germain Racing, Rusty Wallace Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports from 2009-13 before coming back this season, and has an average finish of 12.9 at Iowa Speedway.

Norris feels it too, though, even as a crew chief. He wants his cars to run well every week, too, but given he said he doesn't get to come home much at all — and that his hometown is 44 miles from the racetrack — Norris wants the enjoyment of running well.

Enjoyment is one thing, but pride is another. Crew chiefs don't get much of the glory for a car running well at a difficult track, but Norris said having success at the tracks that require more versatility makes him most excited.

Iowa Speedway's unique characteristics and ever-changing racing surface certainly make it one a crew chief would be extremely proud to get ahold of. Norris has been atop the pitbox for eight races at Iowa Speedway — with Travis Pastrana, Trevor Bayne, Darrell Wallace Jr. and now Poole — and has guided drivers to five top 10s and two top 5s, including a pole with Bayne in 2014.

'More than even the accomplishment of just winning there, it's the fact that the track is very challenging,' Norris said. 'From my aspect, that would mean more than anything. You conquered the competitors and you conquered the track. It's very challenging track to go out and get the right setup for and the right strategy. The rest of it (being close to home) would be just fun.'

Norris had the No. 48 14th in the first practice and ninth in final practice on Friday, and Poole was eight and fourth, respectively, in the two Iowa Speedway races last year, so that suggests he'll have a chance to do that conquering, at least.

Gase was 38th in the first practice Friday, and said it was 'the worst we've ever unloaded anywhere,' so he stayed for final practice before driving back to Cedar Rapids to race his Late Model at Hawkeye Downs. His No. 52 was better in final practice, wrapping up in 31st.

While those two have been back the last several years, Annett's return was a bit of a shock for the journeyman racer. He said Friday the track was vastly different from his last trip here, so it took some time to readjust. Annett was 25th in the first practice and 22nd in final practice.

Annett's return also comes in race-winning equipment. He sits 10th in the NXS points, while his teammates Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier and William Byron are the top three in points, respectively. Coming home with a race-winning-level car is just another piece of the pressure-packed puzzle.

'I think some people would be happy to be top 10 in the points standings, but when you look at your teammates in similar equipment you're in … I'm disappointed in myself and I wish it was moving along a little quicker,' Annett said. 'I'd be letting my guys down if my goal wasn't to win (Saturday night). Our team has the capability to win races.

'It's a lot of fun to come home. It's two more times I get back to see everybody.'

The American Ethanol 250 is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and can be seen on FS1.

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