Rumor: IndyCar eyeing possible return to Milwaukee (4th Update)

This rumor is upgraded to ‘fact’ today. IndyCar will return to the Milwaukee Mile in 2024.

A press conference is scheduled for Monday morning at 10 am [CT] at the Victory Circle of the Milwaukee Mile.

People in attendance will include Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Penske Corp. chairman Roger Penske and Wisconsin State Fair Park CEO Shari Black.

This rumor is upgraded to ‘strong’ today.

IndyCar CEO Mark Miles told SBJ that a return to the Milwaukee Mile is very likely for IndyCar in 2024.

That would coincide with the joint August weekend with NASCAR being dropped and replaced with Milwaukee.

NASCAR is rumored to return to the IMS oval next year, negating any possibility of a joint NASCAR/IndyCar weekend.

Indy cars returned to the Milwaukee Mile from 2011-’15 – including three Father’s Day weekend races – but promoter Michael Andretti could not make the event financially viable.

President of Illinois-based Track Enterprises Bob Sargent, was asked if IndyCar could make a return to the Milwaukee Mile?

“I think everyone’s just in the curious mode right now, said Sargent, promotor of the upcoming NASCAR Truck Race at the Milwaukee Mile.

“Is it possible? Will the market bear something like that? Will the facility hold any other cars?

“Even the NASCAR level, we have a couple more levels to look at there. Anything’s possible. The right things have to fall in place, and we have to keep producing good events and get the facility up to standards, and I would hope to be involved with anything that comes to the Milwaukee Mile now.”

“One positive coming out of this [Truck Race on Father’s Day] is the Fair board’s willingness and positive attitude has really been good. That’s helped a lot,” Sargent said. “It’s really been a fresh thing to have somebody wanting it as bad as we want it.”

The NASCAR sanction fee for the Truck race is low.  Asked what attendance he needs for the race to be financially viable, Sargent replied, “5,000 would be a disappointment, 10,000 would be a smashing success.”

Adam Stern  of Sports Business Journal again reports that IndyCar remains in talks with state and local leaders in Wisconsin and Milwaukee about possibly bringing a race back to Milwaukee Mile, potentially as soon as next year, according to sources.

The open-wheel racing series, which is holding its third event of the 2023 season this weekend in California, formerly raced at the Wisconsin short track for decades in the 20th century and most recently in 2015. Wisconsin owns the track as it’s located on the state’s fair park grounds. NASCAR is returning to the track this year with its Craftsman Truck Series, and renovations are being done to the facility.

Sources say that IndyCar is in deep discussions with officials there about bringing its property back to the venue as soon as the 2024 season. SBJ.com

See Albert Einstein quote below.

Adam Stern reports that IndyCar may be eyeing a return to the thrice failed Milwaukee Mile:

.@IndyCar remains in talks with state and local leaders in Wisconsin and Milwaukee about possibly bringing a race back to Milwaukee Mile, per people familiar. pic.twitter.com/roIweHQUt1

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) April 7, 2023

Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

With that said, if they spend millions and bring in some big name rock groups or other popular musicians, perhaps they can fill the grandstands with concert goers, so the grandstands don’t look so embarrassingly empty.

This formula worked in Iowa and it’s planned again this year.