As the President and CEO of Penske Entertainment and IndyCar, Mark Miles attended the Milwaukee Business Journal Sports Symposium to emphasize the value of the Milwaukee Mile.
"It's a combination of things," Penske Entertainment/IndyCar President and CEO Mark Miles says. "We think Milwaukee is a great city, a great market, with lots of race fans. But that place, the track you're talking about, is really historic. And a lot of racing is about its history. So being the oldest active track in the country is amazing. I bet a lot of Milwaukee residents don't know that, and we think that stands for something special."
The Mile is billed as the oldest continuously operated motor speedway in the world. But after a nine-year absence, most of IndyCar's drivers have little experience on it.
"You do have Newgarden, who was on the pole here," Miles says. "You've got two guys in our field that are legends—Will Power and Scott Dixon—who have won here. You have a lot of guys who haven't seen it. So there's a lot to watch, a lot of storylines, and a lot to follow."
Watch: Penske and IndyCar's Mark Miles on why they returned to the Milwaukee Mile
Miles doesn't want to downgrade any forms of racing, but right now, IndyCar just might be the most competitive.
"I think there's no question that IndyCar, on the track, is the most compelling, most exciting, most competitive," Miles says. "And it's wheel-to-wheel, not bumper-to-bumper."
With improvements to SAFER barriers and walls, the investment is there for this to be more than a one-off event.
"It's multi-year, but we're definitely here next year," Miles says. "And our commitment is to do everything we can to grow it. We'll learn from this year. We have a great relationship with the fair board and that track. I mean, think about the fair being so successful and their record-breaking attendance this year. They are very competent people who know this community, but we can add to that."
To prove that they will be back, in addition to millions of dollars in upgrades at the Milwaukee Mile, August 24, 2025, is already listed on the IndyCar schedule for next year. Yes, it is a single date.
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