NASCAR won’t return to the historic short-track oval of Milwaukee Mile after a two-year stint with the Truck Series races. Usually, it is NASCAR that takes the hard call on snubbing the venues, but this time around, it was Roger Penske and the IndyCar schedule that forced the NASCAR events out of favor.
The State Fair Park Board chairman, John Yingling, revealed this fresh change that will come into effect in 2025. Unlike the other major racetracks, NASCAR doesn’t hold ownership rights to the one-mile oval. Rather, Track Enterprises has promoted the stock cars at the venue since 2019. But with IndyCar changing its broadcasting partners from FOX to NBC, the track is unable to find a date for NASCAR events.
A big blow for NASCAR and Truck Series
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Apart from the IndyCar race commitments, NASCAR events will be up against the NFL games. And comparing the viewership numbers between the two, the NFL games do have an upper hand. Therefore, considering all the variables, the racetrack had to snub Truck races in favor of the IndyCar event.
“It’s a matter of scheduling and matter of Indy changing from one television network to another television network. Obviously, Fox is a major NFL network, and obviously, the NFL does not start on Labor Day. They start the weekend after, and Fox will have a noon game. They will have a 3:25 game,” Yingling was quoted saying via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
He further emphasized how TV viewership shapes the dynamics of the event scheduled on the racetrack. “That just changed television dynamics. And as you know, television dynamics kind of rule the world, whether it be with network television now or streaming services, right?” IndyCar will race on August 24, which clashes with the Truck race that has been running in the same week for the past two years.
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Did Roger Penske just derail a historic comeback for the Milwaukee Mile?
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Although the racetrack won’t be able to host stock car racing events for the next year, fans will be able to enjoy ARCA and Truck Series races this weekend.
William Sawalich dominated in the ARCA event before his Truck Series feature
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JGR phenom and upcoming talent, William Sawalich, continued his dominance in the ARCA Series race at Milwaukee Mile. Coming into today’s race, the 17-year-old had already notched up six races to his name this season. And this time around, he hardly broke any sweat during the race. He started the race on the pole and ended the race with the checkered flag in his name.
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However, the young JGR driver is running double duty and will compete in the Truck Series race, piloting the #1 Tricon Garage Truck. While he has been on a rampant winning streak in the ARCA Series, a national series race win still eludes him. Before today’s race, he ran in four Truck Series races in 2024; a P12 finish at IRP has been his best outing so far.
It will be interesting to see how well he fares today against some of the best young talents in stock car racing.
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Did Roger Penske just derail a historic comeback for the Milwaukee Mile?