» IndyCars: 2012 Milwaukee IndyFest Preview

If the IndyCar Series could have another spiritual home aside from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it would be the Milwaukee Mile, the scene of this weekend’s Milwaukee IndyFest.

The Circuit

Date:	15-16 June 2012
Venue:	Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wisconsin
Lap Length:	1.0 mile / 1.6km

Event Schedule:	Free Practice Session 1	Fri 10:00-11:00
	Free Practice Session 2	Fri 13:15-14:15
	Qualifying	Fri 16:00-17:15
	Race (225 laps, 225 miles)	Sat 12:30-15:00
Past IndyCar Winners:	Dario Franchitti (Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda)	2011
	Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda)	2009
	Ryan Briscoe (Team Penske Dallara Honda)	2008
	Tony Kanaan (Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda)	2007
	Tony Kanaan (Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda)	2006
	Sam Hornish Jr (Team Penske Dallara Toyota)	2005
	Dario Franchitti (Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda)	2004

Despite being largely flat, the ‘Mile’ has provided no lack of quality racing action on its wide asphalt surface, with overtaking opportunities available at both Turns 1 & 3 widely utilised.

Dario Franchitti is the defending race winner and will be out to put in another good performance to continue to build his championship defence.

The former showground has been hosting racing events since even before Indianapolis, however has fallen on hard times lately with poor scheduling and a lack of credible promoters leading to poor attendance figures. As a result, the 2010 race did not happen, ending a run of non-wartime consecutive open-wheel events at the circuit dating back to 1937.

Cue Michael Andretti, who recognises the heritage held at the Milwaukee Mile and has stepped in to promote this year’s event in conjunction with business partner Barry Green, who promotes the annual Toronto Indy event.

A date change from Sunday to Saturday to avoid a clash with the American Fathers Day along with greatly reduced ticket prices should hopefully encourage big crowds. The effort put in deserves to yield results and we will see this weekend whether the promotional step has worked.