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AT&T 250 Notes From The Milwaukee Mile

June 23rd, West Allis, WI – The AT&T 250 NASCAR Busch Series race features a wide variety of drivers, many whom have previously raced at the Milwaukee Mile. Last night’s winner of the Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200, John Benson, Jr. won an American Speed Association (ASA) race on Mother’s day in 1993. Benson has now won the last two Truck Series races at the Milwaukee Mile, a first for NASCAR at the Mile. Benson loves the Mile. “Milwaukee’s a track I like, if you have a decent truck and you have the set-up down, you can pick some places to run where other people can’t. To win here for the second year in a row is pretty exciting.”

Wausau, WI native, Scott Wimmer is one Wisconsin driver who wishes to continue the trend of Wisconsin born winners winning the Busch Series race at The Milwaukee Mile. Wimmer remembers watching his Uncle, Larry Detjens race at the venerable oval. “I have been going to Milwaukee for as long as I can remember and watched my uncle race there along with Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin.” Last year’s winner Paul Menard and 2005 winner, Johnny Sauter are racing in Sonoma this weekend and are not competing full-time on the Busch Series circuit. Wimmer is one of four Wisconsin drivers entered in Saturday’s AT&T 250.

Travis Kvapil a Janesville, WI native has his sights on the Milwaukee Mile.”Milwaukee is a track that I’ve got circled on my calendar as one that I really want to win. It’s only about an hour and a half from my hometown, so I consider it my home track. I know we’ll have a big fan base show up so that’s going to be even more motivation to run up front. It’s a one-mile track but it’s like a Friday night short track race with the flat corners and the slower speeds. You’ve got to have a good handling truck to get around there.” Kvapil finished eighth last night and is practicing Carl Edwards Roush Racing Dish Network Ford who will be flying in this afternoon to compete tonight.

The four Wisconsin drivers competing in the AT&T 250 are, Wimmer Todd Kleuver from Sun Prairie, WI, Frank Kreyer from Eau Claire, WI and Kelly Bires from Mauston, WI.

Wimmer summed it up best showing the prestige of winning at the Milwaukee Mile, especially for Wisconsin drivers, “It would really be neat to win a race there, I think that any Wisconsin driver, no matter what series, wants to win there.”

Other drivers competing this weekend include, Bobby East who is driving the #37 Kleenex / Pick ‘N Save Ford. East is a previous winner at the Mile, winning the 2005 Parnelli Jones Classic, USAC Sprint Car race. That event was the first USAC Sprint car race at the Mile since 1960.

Mike Bliss driving the Supercuts Dodge #22 won the USAC Silver Crown race at the Mile in 1993. Kelly Bires (#47 Armor All / Auto Zone Ford) won a ASA Late Model race August at the Mile. Ron Hornaday, Jr. has won two NASCAR races at the Milwaukee Mile, one Craftsman Truck Series race (1997) and one Busch Series race (2004).

Todd Bodine will be driving the #10 Camping Word Toyota for Dave Blaney who is concentrating on his Cup ride in Sonoma. Erik Darnell is practicing the Discount Tire Ford for David Ragen as is the aforementioned Kvapil for Edwards.

ESPN will have over 70 cameras (including in-car) on hand for coverage of tonight’s AT&T 250 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

Select seats are still available for tonight’s AT&T 250 NASCAR Busch Series race, expected to be the largest motorsports event in the state of Wisconsin, which will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers in the 43-car field: Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan and David Reutimann.

The best option for fans is to purchase tickets at The Milwaukee Mile grandstand ticket booths, with best selection available by the first practice session for the AT&T 250 scheduled for 9:00 a.m. today. The green flag flies on the highly anticipated NASCAR Busch Series event shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.

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