Feeling the Need for Speed? Hy-Vee Announces Sponsors for Race Weekend

Retailers, are you feeling the need for speed? Hy-Vee Inc. and IndyCar announced that Google and DoorDash will be the presenting sponsors for Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend, set for July 22-24.

The West Des Moines, Iowa-based retailer said in a statement that PepsiCo will also be a key event sponsor, as well as the sponsor of Hy-Vee’s No. 45 car throughout the race season.

“The economic impact this race weekend is creating for the Midwest will be like none other, and we are proud to team up with these incredible partners to ensure that the fans who come to the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend truly have an amazing experience,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee chairman and CEO, in a statement. “We look forward to creating an exciting atmosphere leading up to and during the race—both in our stores and at the track during the event.”

The retailer said that in addition to the on-track action, the weekend will include a festival-like atmosphere with three days of music, food and family-focused entertainment.

"Google is proud to call Iowa home and honored to support initiatives that make it a great place to live, work and visit,” said Kirsten Kliphouse, president of North America, Google Cloud, in a statement. “We recently announced Google’s investment in our Iowa data center has reached $5 billion, and we’re committed to making an impact beyond the data center walls by partnering with organizations like Hy-Vee on events that bring economic opportunity to local communities.”

San Francisco-based DoorDash said in a statement its excited to take part in the Hawkeye State.

“DoorDash is proud to sponsor the inaugural IndyCar race weekend with Hy-Vee, a long-standing partner and supporting champion of our mission to empower local communities,” said Christopher Payne, president of DoorDash, in a statement. “As consumer expectations for convenience, speed and selection continue to grow on and off the raceway, we’re committed to expanding access to Hy-Vee’s unparalleled assortment to even more cities across the state of Iowa and nationwide. We look forward to continuing to offer Iowa residents the best of their neighborhoods directly to their door.”

Known as “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet,” the 7/8 of a mile Iowa Speedway oval is a favorite with drivers and race fans alike and PepsiCo said in a statement that it is “thrilled to be part of the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series—this year bigger and better than before. Our beverage brands—led by Mountain Dew—will bring exciting experiences to IndyCar fans and Hy-Vee customers at home, in-store and at the track,” said Neil Pryor, president of PepsiCo Beverages North America Central Division, in a statement. “There is no better way to enjoy the thrill of the race than with a cold Mountain Dew in your hand, and we’re proud to bring that joy to neighbors across Iowa, a state in which nearly 2,000 of our employees live and work.”

Hy-Vee first became involved in the NTT IndyCar Series when the supermarket chain was the primary sponsor for Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) Racing’s No. 15 car in Race 2 of the 2020 Iowa Speedway doubleheader. In its third year of sponsoring RLL, Hy-Vee provides primary sponsorship of RLL’s No. 45 car, which will be driven by Jack Harvey, and associate sponsorships of Graham Rahal’s No. 15 car and No. 30 car, which will be driven by newcomer Christian Lundgaard.

Bud Denker, president of Penske Corp., which owns IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said in a statement that “our partnership with Hy-Vee and the support from these industry-leading brands demonstrates the continued growth of IndyCar and the commitment to hosting an impactful event in Iowa.”

Hy-Vee Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 285 retail stores across eight states in the Midwest, with sales of more than $12 billion annually. The company employs more than 91,000 employees.