Kanaan tries to turn around past Iowa Corn showings

NEWTON - Tony Kanaan had plenty of nice things to say about the Iowa Speedway during a news conference Friday. It's too bad the short oval track hasn't been as kind to him in the past.

In three starts, the Indycar veteran and 2004 Series champion from Brazil hasn't finish at the Iowa Speedway.

Kanaan will attempt to finish his first IZOD IndyCar Series Iowa Corn Indy 250 at the 7/8-mile track when the green flag drops Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Kanaan and the rest of the IndyCar drivers will qualify Saturday at 4:30 p.m., as part of the event's opening day which include Star Mazda Series, United States Formula 2000 and Firestone Indy Lights races.

Short tracks have always been favorable to the Andretti Autosport team member. He said he has enjoyed coming to the Iowa Speedway. The small oval allows the drivers' talent behind the wheel to influence the outcome.

“I've always been excited to come here,” Kanaan said. “Being the only one now this year it's even more exciting. ... You've got to drive it. You're not depending only on an engineer and the car that you have. You can make a big difference here.”

Kanaan, who was sixth in the IndyCar Series points standings last year, had his highest finish at the Iowa Corn race in 2009, placing 14th overall after completing 108 of the 250-lap contest. It continued his string of premature starts in Central Iowa. He shared a few race day superstitions like entering his car from only the left side and putting on his right shoe first, but that's where they end. He knows none of those things impacted the past showings here.

“It's not the tracks fault,” Kanaan said. “I know exactly why and what happened in those situations.”

He views the previous experiences as learning tools, all of which he can correct Sunday. Kanaan is optimistic in the fourth Iowa Corn 250.

“I've had three bad experiences, so I can learn from it,” Kanaan said. “Three different ones which is good. I didn't make the same mistake although it was the same corner. I think the fourth one will be good.”

A notorious bump between the first and second turns can wreak havoc for many drivers, especially with the higher pace of the small track.

"I can tell you by experience every time I hit that I hit the wall," Kanaan said. "It's just a characteristic of the track."

Alex Tagliani, a member of FAZZT racing, is making his first appearance at the Iowa Speedway and hasn't experienced the intricacies of the track, including the infamous bump.

"I'm a little bit concerned because I don't know what Tony's problem is but I have his engineer," Tagliani joked.

Graham Rahal, son of legendary driver Bobby Rahal, said an interruption like that makes it hard when it snaps the car. IndyCars can be tough to control with that type of disturbance.

"If your car isn't really good over the bump it will make an effect," Rahal said. "It definitely makes it tricky."

Despite the forgettable endings in Newton, the 2004 IndyCar Series champ isn't changing his approach. The goal isn't to finish it's to win.

“Honestly, we have to think about the championship," Kanaan said. "It's not like I'm going to say ‘Oh my God I just want to finish this thing' because that's not the point.

“It's unfortunate situations that happened to us but I'm not here to say ‘I'm going to start really cautious'. No, I'm racing and I'm going to make the best out of it.”

Iowa Speedway is the lone short track on the IndyCar schedule. The tight turns and tight traffic make it hard to maneuver, making it a physical race. Kanaan previously said the track resembles a super speedway.

“Because of the banking and the track is so short things happen so much quicker for us,” Kanaan said. “It felt like the speeds were much higher.

“We always have a close race. It's not easy to pass.”

Kanaan hasn't won an IndyCar race since claiming the checkered flag at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway in 2008. A win would end both the drought at the Iowa Speedway and in series events.

“The majority of my wins in the ovals were on the mile oval tracks, short tracks,” said Kanaan, noting two wins in Milwaukee, two in Phoenix and a win in Richmond. “It would taste good.”