Milwaukee Mile To Be On The 2011 IndyCar Schedule

By Steve Zautke
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Updated: September 7, 2010

With Friday’s IZOD IndyCar Series Schedule Announcement by Randy Bernard, IndyCar CEO at the Milwaukee Mile, one easily can piece together that the world’s oldest continuous operating racetrack will on on the 2011 schedule.

Dating to it’s first fully sanctioned AAA race in 1937, the Milwaukee Mile remains as one of the most popular for drivers and fans. With Friday’s pending announcement it is only one day removed from the 107th year anniversary of the first race held at the venerable track on September 11, 1903 in which William Jones in a Columbia won a 5-lap race. The track dates prior to 1903 as originally it was a privately owned dirt horse-racing track and has been in existence since at least 1876. In 1891, the Agricultural Society of the State of Wisconsin purchased the land to create a permanent site for the Wisconsin State Fair. The track has operated as part of the fairgrounds ever since, being paved in early 1954.

The next question is when? When I spoke to Randy Bernard in Indianapolis in May, he spoke how Milwaukee needed to be on the schedule and how it looked like it would replace Kansas Speedway on the schedule in early May. However with Chicagoland Speedway perhaps disappearing from the 2011 schedule, it could end up on much more appealing late August date. Time will tell.

Scott Dixon was the winner of the last IndyCar event at the Milwaukee Mile on May 31, 2009.

Steve Zautke

Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s Steve’s first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.

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