MILWAUKEE — As NASCAR Trucks driver Tyler Ankrum wheeled a remote control car around a mini Milwaukee Mile, he fell in love with the city.
"Milwaukee in general's an awesome city," Tyler Ankrum says. "I love the city because it's not an old city, but it's one of the few cities left that actually kept its soul. And that's what I love about this place."
And Track Enterprises President and CEO Bob Sargent is instrumental in bringing racing back to the historic Mile, starting with late models.
"We did the Father's Day race years ago and it's just kind of stuck," Track Enterprises President/CEO Bob Sargent says. "And really always in all our racing around the country, you know really promote the family atmosphere. Last year we had a big crowd, a great race. And we just wanna kind of duplicate that. Invite everybody back out and see the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. And the ARCA cars."
Which reminds Ankrum of his days coming up in the sport.
"When I was 10, 11, 12? You're still going off an Atlas map," Ankrum says. "And your Dad's driving the motor home. And he's trying to figure where you're at. And you don't even know where you're at. Next thing you know? You're in Ohio. And you're like, how did we get to Ohio? Like, you're lost. But no, it actually can be confusing to get around Milwaukee. Jimmy was driving us around and I was just like, where are we?"
But now he's focused on racing Sunday, August 25 and making more history.
"The Milwaukee Mile, for you know, Wisconsinites, it's, you know, Daytona doesn't hold a candle to this race track," Ankrum says. "As much as I would like to agree with that? I can't, because Daytona is Daytona right? But you know, for the history of this place. You know, starting off in the 20's and 30's as a horse track. To then, you know in the 50's become one of the first paved NASCAR tracks. You know, then it was Darlington, Daytona. Milwaukee, right?"
Last year in the first race back? The NASCAR trucks ran 3 wide and even had 4 grooves. Showing the talent of the drivers, as well as good racing at the Milwaukee Mile.
