NASCAR Truck Series Not Returning to Milwaukee Mile in 2025

NASCAR Truck Series Not Returning to Milwaukee Mile in 2025

Shortly before the start of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series LIUNA 175, Dave Kallmann broke the news that it might be the last NASCAR race at the historic Milwaukee Mile.  Read the complete story at the link below:

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/motor/2024/08/25/milwaukee-mile-wont-host-nascar-craftsman-truck-series-race-in-2025/74925511007/

Unlike NASCAR's last departure after the 2009 season, the omission off the 2025 schedule has nothing to do with missed sanctioning fees or even attendance as some have speculated. It primarily comes down to scheduling conflicts between NASCAR and the Milwaukee Mile that resulted from adjustments to the NTT INDYCAR Series schedule.  When the 2025 INDYCAR schedule was announced several months ago, the Milwaukee Mile was included on the schedule for an August 24th race date.  That's one week earlier than the event in 2024, and falls on the weekend that the Truck Series had raced in 2023 and 2024.  The shift in the INDYCAR schedule was necessary to accommodate their new TV broadcast partner (Fox) which has limited TV windows available after Labor Day weekend due to their extensive coverage of NFL games.

Track Enterprises (promoter of the NASCAR weekend) looked at more than 10 dates other than the weekend before Labor Day, but either NASCAR or the Fair had a conflict that precluded each of them. 

Despite the inability to land a date for 2025, John Yingling (Chairman of Wisconsin State Fair Park Board of Directors) was optimistic that NASCAR could return as soon as 2026.

“I think we continue to have great relationships with Track Enterprises and Bob Sargent,” Yingling said. “Bob Sargent’s our guy when it comes to NASCAR and building NASCAR here, but it’s also more because Bob has more depth than just NASCAR. He’s really good the entire late model stocks all the way up.

“Bob and I have had many conversations about getting other races, moving to Xfinity, seeing what we could do with Cup.”