NEWTON, Iowa — The City of Newton takes pride in hosting both the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend and for the first tim this year, the NASCAR Cup Series.
While each race brings in $100 million of economic impact, the city says it brings much more than just money.
"Wow, out of the ballpark in both cases," said Craig Armstrong, development specialist for the city.
With both major races falling within a month of one another, although it was a lot of preparation, it carried much more excitement along with it.
"In many ways, it kind of was the beginning of that spark plug of yes we can," Armstrong said.
Thousands made their way to central Iowa for both weekends, selling out hotels and filling local businesses.
"I really like that we're a place that people will, you know, sometimes go a little out of the way to come back to," said Roy Swersie, manager at PJ's Deli.
PJ's Deli in downtown Newton saw a revolving door of new guests, even some of the racers themselves made their way in.
The deli was prepared for the surge of people, and those coming from out of town, leave a longstanding impact.
"A lot of people that come through once, if they ever come to Newton, they come through here again," Swersie said.
Each year, the city prepares for the influx of people, but the popular weekends have a much bigger meaning that spreads all across central Iowa.
"The kind of impact that this has is bigger than just the weekend," Armstrong said. "It radiates out from that and really begins to build not only dollars and cents, but morale."
IndyCar and Hy-Vee have extended a multi-year partnership, and the City of Newton has goals to continue the NASCAR Cup Series.