4 days ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Flooding partially submerged cars at Milwaukee Mile track. What's next ahead of IndyCar visit?
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Days after a historic deluge left the Milwaukee Mile feet deep in stormwater, a State Fair Park spokesman said the racetrack was not damaged and the facility will be ready to go when the IndyCar arrives.
The second-last day of the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair was cut short Saturday when a storm that ultimately dropped 9 inches of rain on West Allis flooded the grounds and infield tunnel and left some cars parked on the track partially submerged. The scheduled final day of the Fair was then canceled.
The next big event at the facility is the Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250, with practice and qualifying scheduled for Aug. 23 and the race for Aug. 24.
IndyCar returned to the Mile in 2024 after a 13-year absence under a contract that runs through 2026.
State Fair Park does not release ticket sales information, communications manager Tim McCormick said in an email. A count of seats available for purchase online with a little more than two weeks to go showed about 5,000 of an estimated 14,000 reserved seats remaining for race day plus an undetermined number of general admission tickets and infield camping permits.
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Although 2024 attendance was not announced, seats were substantially filled for both 250-lap races Saturday and Sunday. Bud Denker, president of Penske Corporation, which assisted State Fair in promotion, estimated the three-day total would be about 40,000.
Milwaukee retained its relative position on the 17-race schedule for 2025, one week before the finale at Nashville Superspeedway. Although the IndyCar championship typically is not decided until the final race, eight-time winner Alex Palou already locked up his fourth title Aug. 10 in Portland, Oregon.
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IndyCar is expected to again be the only major race on the State Fair Park oval in 2026.
Bob Sargent, whose Track Enterprises promoted NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2023 and '24 as well as other races, said recently he met with park officials but couldn't come up with a date that worked for all parties.
