Milwaukee Mile

The Milwaukee Mile is a 1.000 mile (1.609 km)-long oval race track located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin with grandstand and bleacher seating for approximately 45,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954. In addition to the asphalt-paved oval, there is a 1.8 miles (2.9 km) asphalt-paved road circuit located on the infield.

Also from 1934 until 1953, the infield also was the Milwaukee home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers.

The Milwaukee Mile’s premier distinction is as the oldest operating motor speedway in the world, hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903 (except during U.S. involvement in World War II). The track is located at the grounds for the Wisconsin State Fair. The track has held events sanctioned by major sanctioning bodies, such as the American Automobile Association, USAC, NASCAR, CART/Champ Car World Series, and the IndyCar Series. There have also been many races in regional series such as ARTGO.

Racers who have competed at the track are a "Who's-Who" of racing history: Barney Oldfield, Ralph DePalma, Walt Faulkner, Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, Jim Clark, Darrell Waltrip, Alan Kulwicki, Emerson Fittipaldi, Bobby Allison, Davey Allison, Nigel Mansell, Michael Andretti, Alex Zanardi, Harry Gant, Rusty Wallace, and Walker Evans, as well as current racing stars Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Dario Franchitti, Jeff Gordon, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Hélio Castroneves and many others.

On December 16, 2009, Wisconsin State Fair Park officials confirmed that the Milwaukee Mile would not host any NASCAR or IndyCar races in 2010. NASCAR confirmed that their June Nationwide Series date would remain in Wisconsin for 2010, as they announced they would hold a race at Road America for the first time since the Grand National Series raced there in 1956. NASCAR also announced on January 20, 2010 that the Milwaukee date for the Truck Series would be moved to August. The track hosted two ASA Late Model Series races in 2010.

IndyCar returned to the track in 2011, but The Mile was left off of the preliminary 2012 schedule after a poorly attended 2011 event that resulted in part from an inexperienced promoter. In February 2012 though, it was announced that IndyCar would return to the Mile on the weekend of June 15–16. The event is being promoted by Andretti Sports Marketing, owned by former Indy driver Michael Andretti, and is being billed as Milwaukee IndyFest. The event will include open-wheel racing featuring the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Firestone Indy Lights, as well as driver Q&A and autograph sessions, music (acts TBA) and other attractions.

Read more about Milwaukee Mile:  NFL Stadium in The Middle of The Quarter Mile Oval, Open Wheel, NASCAR Nationwide Series/Craftsman Truck Series, Records, Images

Famous quotes containing the word mile:

    Telephone poles were matchsticks, put there to be snapped off at a whim. Dogs trotting across the road were suddenly big trucks. Old ladies turned into moving—vans. Everything was too bright, but very funny and made for my delight. And about half a mile from my long liquid breakfast I turned carefully down a side street and parked, and sat beaming happily through the tannic fog for about an hour, remembering how witty we all had been, how handsome and talented ... [ellipsis in original]
    M.F.K. Fisher (1908–1992)