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The Milwaukee Mile Welcomes And Endorses Unified Indycar Series

Kanaan, Tracy and Castroneves Continue Tradition, Headline All-Star Cast on June 1st

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (February 27, 2008) – For the first time in a dozen years, The Milwaukee Mile will host all of the best American open wheel race teams, in the Sunday, June 1 running of the ABC Supply / A.J. Foyt 225, adding to the rich and longstanding open wheel history at the world’s oldest active motor speedway.

At a nationally-televised news conference held earlier today, Indy Racing League CEO Tony George joined Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven to announce a unification of America’s premiere open wheel series, uniting as the IndyCar Series.

Sunday, June 1st will mark the unparalleled 51st time The Milwaukee Mile holds an IndyCar Series race the Sunday following the Indianapolis 500.

With today’s announcement, it is foreseeable to have four-time Milwaukee Mile Champ Car event winner Paul Tracy racing with two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves and 2006 & 2007 Milwaukee IndyCar Series race winner Tony Kanaan, in what will feature an all-star cast of talented drivers and teams.

“We welcome and endorse today’s IndyCar Series announcement,” Milwaukee Mile Chairman Craig Stoehr said. “We consider it a victory for our loyal fans, who will now get to see Indianapolis 500 stars Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick, Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti race wheel-to-wheel at 170mph around our historic one-mile oval against Champ Car standouts Paul Tracy, Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal, among many others, on Sunday, June 1st.”

The Milwaukee Mile continues open wheel traditions dating back to the historic speedway’s first auto race, held on September 11, 1903. The Milwaukee Mile staged races on a continual basis, joining the open wheel national championship schedule beginning in 1933. In 1954, the surface of The Milwaukee Mile was paved, joining the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Darlington (S.C.) Raceway as the only paved motor speedways holding national championship events, raising the prominence and frequency of Indy car and national stock car events held at The Mile.

The Milwaukee Mile also holds the unique position of being the only venue to host both the IndyCar Series and Champ Car World Series in the same season – on three occasions from 2004 to 2006 – with current IndyCar Series drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tracy and Kannan among the victors.

With Champ Car teams having to swiftly adjust to the current IndyCar Series engine and chassis formula, The Milwaukee Mile event may well be the first opportunity for former Champ Car teams to race for the victory, due in large part to the Champ Car teams’ recent history at America’s Legendary Oval.

In celebration, and for a limited time through it’s website, www.milwaukeemile.com, The Mile is offering two-for-one tickets in select sections to the Sunday, June 1 IndyCar Series race day.

Stoehr said he is encouraged by the increase in ticket sales for The Mile’s IndyCar Series event weekend since the unification news broke last week.

The Milwaukee Mile will host America’s premiere open wheel stars May 31-June 1, in the running of the ABC Supply / A.J. Foyt 225 IndyCar Series event. Additionally that weekend, a 100-mile Indy Pro Series race and a 150-mile stock car race, with the combined North and South Divisions of the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, are also scheduled.

For details on the upcoming season of championship auto racing at The Milwaukee Mile, visit the speedway’s website, www.milwaukeemile.com.

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