Rahal Hopeful for INDYCAR Future at the Milwaukee Mile
Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment
After a nine-year hiatus, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to the Milwaukee Mile this weekend for the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s. The double header races on Saturday and Sunday are a joint promotion for Penske Entertainment and Wisconsin State Fair Park.
For decades, the Milwaukee Mile was a fixture on the AAA, USAC, CART, Champ Car and INDYCAR schedule with two races annually; the once traditional date immediately following the Indianapolis 500 as well as another race during the Wisconsin State Fair. More recently, it has been an on again, off again affair with INDYCAR, depending on the promoter and Wisconsin State Fair Park.
According to Graham Rahal, driver of the No. 15 Hendrickson Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, this weekend is important for both Milwaukee and INDYCAR.
“Yeah. I think it's important. You know, I think it's important for us to -- first off, I think it's an important market for us to be in. Midwestern markets are big, but obviously, Wisconsin, we've always had a great draw.
“But it is a challenging market, particularly this time of year. Everybody is going back to school. Labor Day weekend. It's just a lot of things kind of happening. But to me, I enjoy being in Milwaukee. I think it's the right time of year to be in Milwaukee, frankly, because of the temperatures. Obviously mid summer, very, very hot.
“I'm a big proponent of night races for ovals, but that's not happening anytime soon, it doesn't sound like. Hy-Vee obviously does a lot of promotion and a lot of support. In this case it's Penske Entertainment, so let's see how it works out.”
Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment
Since the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team introduced the Iowa-based grocery store chain to the sport in 2020, Hy-Vee has become an important partner, not only on the team side, but also promoting INDYCAR overall with race sponsorships and in-store activation.
“Yeah, I was actually quite surprised to see them jump on board with the double header in Milwaukee when they did,” Rahal said, “but they've been a great partner, great partner of the Series. I think the Series has to be just as grateful as Hy-Vee's support for us as a team for sure.
“So, yeah, it's a big weekend. There's no doubt about it. We want to do well. We need to finish this season off on a pretty positive note. There's been so many close calls, shoulda, coulda, wouldas for us on the 15 car this year.
“If I look at all the points that we've given away, if I look at all the grid position penalties that we've had, it's hard to fathom, to be frank. But we are where we are. We need to finish the season strong, and that's what we're aiming to do.”
In seven starts, Rahal has a couple of podium finishes at The Mile, most recently a fourth in 2015, as well as a couple of front row starts in ’08 and ’09.
“It's probably my favorite oval,” Rahal proclaimed. “I've said that for years. Flat, one mile, a lot of different pavement types, big dip in turn one after corner entry; super, super challenging place. So I'm excited. I'm excited to go back.
“Obviously, Hy-Vee, the sponsor this weekend of the race itself; Hendrickson is on our car. Had a good result last weekend (at Portland) with them on the car. So hopefully we'll keep that good luck, good mojo going.
“But we're excited, particularly after St. Louis. I know the end result with the engine blowing up, we didn't get to show it, but the car was fast at St. Louis in the race.
“I'm positive about Milwaukee. Big weekend, double header. Three races to go, all oval. So let's see what happens here.”
Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment
Rahal, along with Scott Dixon, Will Power and Josef Newgarden, are the only drivers on the entry list that have raced at The Mile previously. But Rahal doesn’t think that will be any kind of an advantage this weekend.
“Too much has changed, and honestly, the guys are just too good now. It's not like it used to be.
“You know, I was looking at the 2007 grid at Portland last week. 17 cars. We thought that was a lot. Last week there was, what, 28, whatever. And you just look at the depth of the field now versus the depth of the field then. It's a whole different ballgame. So everybody will be on par quick, and I have no doubt, pretty much everybody tested there, so they'll be right there.”
Unlike last month’s double header at Iowa Speedway where tire concerns and the track surface limited the side-by-side action, Rahal is hopeful that like the recent race at St. Louis, the Milwaukee Mile will again feature side-by-side racing this weekend as it has in the past.
“Well, Milwaukee was always conducive to that anyway. Not that Iowa wasn't. I think Iowa, people lacked confidence, including myself. People lacked confidence to go to the second lane. I think in Gateway (St. Louis) people were surprised, but confidence grew as the race went on, that that second lane was there. And even without the second lane, actually, the cars, the aero package, the downforce that we had was conducive to good racing in Gateway.
“If I look back at Iowa, Iowa could have been a lot better; and when I say could have been, because if you remember, the Series took off a bunch of downforce when we went back to the race, because of the tire issues that we had in the test. And there was a lot of nerves about that between the Series and Firestone. We didn't have that at Gateway, and I think that both the Series with the downforce levels, but as I told the entire team at Firestone, I thought Firestone nailed it at Gateway.
“And they've been sent through the ringer. I think we're all hard on them, but to try to deal with a car that has the kind of mass that this car does now, it's very different. So my hopes are that we get the right combination for Milwaukee.
“At the (June) test in Milwaukee,” Rahal continued, “the tires seemed very hard, but it was low grip. The downforce level was maybe a little light as well. So let's see what kind of transpires. Milwaukee is also a different take in the sense that your second lane in Milwaukee is actually the low line, not the high. So, I don't know what their plan is to get that line to come in and to utilize it. But I think that that's important, and I hope that people are positive about it, and I think after what we saw at Gateway, people will be more positive about Milwaukee.”
Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment
After a hot-sticky week, temperatures will be cooler for this weekend, which will have an impact on the short oval area package as well as the tires. Rahal is hopeful it will lead to competitive racing at The Mile.
“Yeah, the aero package is (sensitive to temperature changes) and also the tire is for sure, but -- you know, it looks warm this weekend, but the weather looks nice. You know, obviously it's kind of an evening start on Saturday, which is great. Gateway got maybe better as the night went on, but the reality was, too, like I thought Gateway was a pretty good race from the start, too. Like I thought almost a better race early in the race because of the fact that it was kind of -- the conditions were more challenging.
“When it cools off, that kind of helps even up a lot of the cars. So I think you can see a good race. I think we've seen it over the years in Milwaukee. You know, Milwaukee typically provides a lot of excitement, and so hopefully we can make that happen. Hopefully we get a great crowd there. Hopefully the momentum and the energy is building.
“Hopefully a lot of people choose to come to Milwaukee and support it.”
The future of INDYCAR at the Milwaukee Mile could again be at stake.