The Milwaukee Mile at the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds will host the 16th of 17 events in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES, continuing its deep-rooted connection with Chevrolet. This historic 1.015-mile short oval, hosting its 116th IndyCar race, has been a favorable venue for Chevrolet-powered drivers since the debut of the twin-turbo, 2.2L V6 engine. Notably, Chevrolet-backed drivers won all six races at the venue, including victories by Pato O’Ward for Arrow McLaren and Scott McLaughlin for Team Penske during the 2024 doubleheader.
Chevrolet’s involvement at Milwaukee extends more than six decades. Don Davis was the first Chevrolet-powered driver to start at the track during the 1962 Rex Mays Classic, driving a Turner D 2 for Racing Associates. Since then, Chevrolet-powered drivers have made 236 starts over 48 races, reflecting a lasting relationship with the venue.
Historical Milestones of Chevrolet’s Success at Milwaukee
Chevrolet earned an early landmark victory at Milwaukee in the 1981 Rex Mays Classic when Mike Mosley piloted an All-American Racers Eagle 8100 equipped with a Chevy 355 cubic inch stock block engine. This marked Chevrolet’s first win at the track and the first for a stock block engine since 1970, when Dan Gurney, All-American Racers’ owner, previously achieved a win.
At that event, Mosley overcame setbacks, including a late engine change that forced him to start last after a promoter’s option entry. Despite this, he quickly moved up the field, reaching tenth place just seven laps into the race and joining the lead pack by lap 22. Eventually, Mosley overtook Tom Sneva with 45 laps to go and dominated enough to lap the entire field.
“I was getting into the corners so much better than anyone else. It was amazing,”
Mosley recalled to Indianapolis Star’s Robin Miller.
The only scare I had all day was when Bobby spun, and it was right in front of me.
Mosley added,
But we got lucky for a change.
Dan Gurney shared insight about the challenges they faced, saying to the Associated Press’ Mike Harris,
We’ve had so many problems in the past that we’re getting gun shy. The stock block concept is just fine, but we haven’t had the dollars to run a proper testing program.
Insights from Contemporary Chevrolet Drivers on Racing at the Milwaukee Mile
Two drivers from A.J. Foyt Racing, David Malukas and Santino Ferrucci, spoke in detail about the unique challenges the Milwaukee Mile presents for competitors. Malukas highlighted the difficulty of qualifying, noting that the short practice sessions allow little time to gather data, requiring drivers to push their limits early and trust their cars’ setups.
Honestly, the key to qualifying well at the Milwaukee Mile is just, just trying to go as deep and as late as possible. I mean, the practice sessions are short. You’re quickly going into qualifying. And from what I remember last year, it was, it was simply just trying to turn it up. It’s such short track times, such short amount of data to look at that you kind of just need to go out there and just go deep, let the car slide. The Milwaukee Mile is very special in the fact that it doesn’t really have banking compared to other ovals. So the car likes to slide a lot more. So you need to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and need to trust, trust the setup, trust the car, trust that the engineers have done a good job, and let that car slide. And that’s how you’ll be fast.
—David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing
On race strategy, Malukas stressed tire management as the main challenge due to constant sliding on the flat oval.
I would say, for Milwaukee, it’s honestly managing tires. The car is sliding around all the time, so you actually start getting quite a bit of rear tire deg compared to what I’d say is on other ovals. So I from what I remember last year that race, it was, it was very tough to keep the tires alive, to keep the pace up and to keep moving forward in that race. So I would say managing tires would be, would be key.
—David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing
When asked what he fears the most, Malukas revealed a lighter side:
What am I most afraid of? Interesting question. Well, if you want it to be deep, I’m afraid of failure. If you want to just say, everyday life, I am very afraid of spiders. Those guys suck. I don’t like spiders. So yeah, there we go.
—David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing
Santino Ferrucci reflected on how his background in stock bars and dirt racing influences his approach at Milwaukee, especially in terms of setup and passing on the narrow oval.
I think one of the big things about racing around Milwaukee would have been just understanding what we need to do for setups. And you know, I think that my experience actually in stock bars and dirt racing kind of really helped me understanding how to pass and set the car up.
—Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing
Ferrucci added that his ability to pass in multiple areas of the track proved advantageous in the prior season.
Last year, the car was good enough that I could just pass wherever. Didn’t matter if people were on top or on the bottom, I could get around them.
—Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing
Describing the toughest part of the race, Ferrucci cited tire wear making the car loose as a significant challenge late in stints.
I definitely believe the most challenging bit is the end of stints when the tires go away drastically and you lose a lot of lap time. Just being able to hang on to a loose race car is difficult to do.
—Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing
Asked about fear, Ferrucci’s answer echoed Malukas’ earlier comment:
Spiders. I just don’t do spiders!
—Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing
Arrow McLaren Drivers Eye Strong Finishes at Milwaukee and Beyond
Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet’s key partner, prepares with formidable drivers including Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel, and Christian Lundgaard. O’Ward expressed his determination to capitalize on the momentum from last year’s success.
We’ve had a week to reset and we’re all-in for these last two races. We’re heading back to Milwaukee and Nashville where we had a win and a P2 last year, so I’ll be focused on bringing home more trophies and finishing the year strong.
—Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Nolan Siegel anticipates the short oval challenge after a missed opportunity earlier in the season.
I’m looking forward to getting back on a short oval, especially after not getting the chance to race from that third-row starting position we earned at Iowa. We’ve shown strong pace, and I’m ready to put it all together at this historic track.
—Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren
Christian Lundgaard, fresh off two second-place finishes, hopes to build on his momentum and continue climbing the standings.
Coming off two P2’s the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet team is really clicking, and I’m looking to keep pushing in the championship. Last year, we climbed from deep in the field to the top 10 here, so while starting up front is the goal, I know we have the pace and execution to fight for more trophies this weekend.
—Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
Team Penske Aiming for Victory with Chevrolet at Milwaukee
Team Penske’s Chevrolet-backed drivers view Milwaukee as a historically significant and personally meaningful venue. Josef Newgarden, driving the No. 2 Snap-On Team Penske Chevrolet, spoke about the importance of the race and the celebration of their sponsor’s 105th anniversary.
The Milwaukee Mile is an important venue in the history of the INDYCAR SERIES so to return there last year was an important moment. This year’s race will be even more special for everyone on the No. 2 team with Snap-on coming on board as the entitlement partner for the race. They are a long-time Team Penske partner – one of our longest, in fact – and they are celebrating their 105th anniversary this year. Representing them in a great-looking Snap-on paint scheme is going to be terrific. The goal is Victory Lane.
—Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, another Team Penske driver, reflected on his appreciation for Milwaukee’s enthusiastic fans and the excitement of short oval racing.
I didn’t know a lot about Milwaukee before coming to the INDYCAR SERIES, but I can tell why everyone was excited for us to go back there. The fans in that city are very passionate about our sport and they came out in a big way to support our return there last year. Short ovals always put on some of the best racing and our win last year was very gratifying for us. Putting the Sonsio Chevy in Victory Lane this weekend would be a great way to continue to end this season with some positive momentum.
—Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
Will Power also reminisced about his early success at Milwaukee and acknowledged recent flooding challenges impacting the area.
Milwaukee will always be a special place for me as one of my first oval wins back in 2014. It was a dominant day for the Verizon Chevy team, winning the pole position and leading a lot of laps. That was a key race for our championship that season and something I’ll never forget. It’s a great oval in an important market for the series. I know there was some serious flooding in the area a couple weeks ago. Hopefully we can help them in their recovery process in some way.
—Will Power, Team Penske
Summary of Chevrolet’s Legacy at the Milwaukee Mile
Chevrolet’s track record at Milwaukee is extensive and impressive, boasting 11 IndyCar victories at the venue. Recent winning drivers include Sebastien Bourdais in 2015 and Will Power in 2014, with earlier successes from Ryan Hunter-Reay, Michael Andretti, Al Unser Jr., and Rick Mears.
The brand has secured nine pole positions and 32 podium finishes at Milwaukee, with prominent drivers such as Emerson Fittipaldi, Rick Mears, Will Power, and Michael Andretti contributing significantly. These achievements are backed by top teams like Team Penske, which leads with 13 podiums, followed by Andretti Global and Newman Haas Racing.
Chevrolet-powered drivers have led an impressive 2,225 laps at the Milwaukee Mile, with Michael Andretti leading 229 laps and Scott McLaughlin 165. Team Penske holds the largest share of laps led at 965, followed by Newman Haas Racing and Andretti Global.
Looking Ahead to the Final IndyCar Races
As the IndyCar season nears its conclusion, the Milwaukee Mile remains a pivotal battleground where Chevrolet continues to assert its dominance. With experienced drivers from Team Penske, Arrow McLaren, and A.J. Foyt Racing, Chevrolet aims to maintain its winning tradition. The upcoming races at Milwaukee and Nashville are critical for drivers vying for championships and provide an opportunity to showcase the enduring performance of Chevrolet engines on short ovals.
The combination of engineering excellence, driver skill, and strategic tire management will likely shape the outcomes as competitors push hard to secure the best positions heading into the season finale. The deep history intertwined with Chevrolet’s legacy fuels an anticipation tinged with anxiety and fierce competition, making the remaining races at Milwaukee crucial for all involved.
