Indy Car: Open Wheel Wednesday, Milwaukee Edition

The Izod Indy Car Series returns to the Milwaukee Mile for the seventh year after a one-year hiatus due to a lack of ownership and funding to stage a race.

This however will be the 86th race for the Indy style cars at the Milwaukee Mile.

The first Indy race at the Milwaukee Mile was August 29, 1937.  Rex Mays piloted his car around the one-mile dirt track for the first ever victory at Milwaukee. 

The Milwaukee Mile is the oldest operating racetrack in the world.  It has hosted at least one race every year since 1903.  The only years Milwaukee didn’t host races were during WWII.

The Milwaukee Mile was originally a dirt track.  It wasn’t until 1954 that the track was paved.

A couple of traditions started in Milwaukee.  One was the tradition of hosting the first race after the Indy 500.  Obviously it’s not happening this year, but hopefully next year it can get back to its rightful place on the schedule.  This tradition started in 1947.

The other tradition that started was the term “Rain Date.”  Before  July 17, 1935 if it rained on race day the race would not be made up.  On that date it rained in Milwaukee and cancelled the race.  This wasn’t an official Indy Car race, but many of the drivers were racing there.  A group led by Wilbur Shaw begged promoters to stage the race the next day.  The promoters listened,  and the term “Rain Date” was born.

RACE/TRACK FACTS

• Sunday June 19, Milwaukee 225, 3:30 pm on ABC
• The Milwaukee Mile is a one-mile oval
• Banking: turns- 9.25 degrees, straightaways- 2.5 degrees
• 40,000 seat capacity
• Track Record: Patrick Carpentier- 20.028 seconds, 185.500 MPH
• Most Wins: Rodger Ward (seven)

Past 20 Champions

2009- Scott Dixon

2008- Ryan Briscoe

2007- Tony Kanaan

2006*- Tony Kanaan IRL- Sebastien Bourdais Champ Car

2005*- Sam Hornish Jr.- Paul Tracy Champ Car

2004*- Dario Franchitti- Ryan Hunter-Reay Champ Car

2003- Michel Jourdain Jr.

2002- Paul Tracy

2001- Kenny Brack

2000- Juan Pablo Montoya

1999- Paul Tracy

1998- Jimmy Vasser

1997- Greg Moore

1996- Michael Andretti

1995- Paul Tracy

1994- Al Unser Jr.

1993- Nigel Mansell

1992- Michael Andretti

1991- Michael Andretti

1990- Al Unser Jr.

• From 2004-2006 both Champ Car and the IRL staged events at Milwaukee on two separate weekends.

2011 IZOD INDY CAR SERIES POINTS STANDINGS AFTER 7 RACES

1. (12)  Will Power  239

2. (10)  Dario Franchitti  218

3.  (9)   Scott Dixon  169

4.  (2)   Oriol Servia  163

5. (82)  Tony Kanaan  159

6.  (6)   Ryan Briscoe  146

7. (38)  Graham Rahal  136

8. (77)  Alex Tagliani  135

9.  (4)   J.R. Hildebrand (R)  125

10. (5)  Takuma Sato  118

11. (26) Marco Andretti  117

12. (14) Vitor Meira  117

13. (27) Mike Conway  114

14.  (3)  Helio Castroneves  111

15.  (7)  Danica Patrick  111

16. (78) Simona de Silvestro  102

17. (22) Justin Wilson  100

18. (06) James Hinchcliffe (R)  92

19. (83) Charlie Kimball (R)  89

20. (59) E.J. Viso  88

21. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay  81

22. (34) Sebastian Saveedra  72

23. (17) Raphael Matos  67

24. (24) Ana Beatriz  67

25. (18) James Jakes (R)  65

26.   -    Dan Wheldon  59

27. (8)  Paul Tracy  44

28. (19) Sebastien Bourdais (R)  44

29. (67) Ed Carpenter  39

30. (30) Bertrand Baguette  30

31. (19) Alex Lloyd  29

32. (07) Tomas Scheckter  28

33. (88) Jay Howard  27

ENTRY-LIST

There are 26 drivers are on the entry list at Milwaukee.  There's some new paint schemes and sponsors this weekend.

Ryan Briscoe will be piloting a new sponsor in the new-look white, baby blue, and black No. 6 Honda.

Dario Franchitti will be behind the wheel of the Green and blue Downy No. 10 Honda.

Justin Wilson is driving the No. 22 Dads Root Beer Honda for Dreyer & Reinbold.

Mike Conway will be driving the No. 27 DHL/Sun Drop Honda.

Ryan Hunter-Reay will have Go Daddy on No. 28 machine since DHL/Sun Drop will be on teammate Mike Conway's car.

My Top 5 Finishers

1. (9) Scott Dixon

2. (6) Ryan Briscoe

3. (10) Dario Franchitti

4. (38) Graham Rahal

5. (2)   Oriol Servia