Milwaukee Mile The Milwaukee Mile is a - long oval race track located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis , Wisconsin with grandstand and bleacher seating for approximately 45 , 000 spectators . It operated as a dirt track until 1953 . The track was paved in 1954 . In addition to the asphalt - paved oval , there is a asphalt - paved road circuit located on the infield . Also from 1934 until 1953 , the infield also was the Milwaukee home of the NFL ' s Green Bay Packers . The Milwaukee Mile ’ s premier distinction is as the oldest operating motor speedway in the world , hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903 ( except during U . S . involvement in World War II ) . The track is located at the grounds for the Wisconsin State Fair . The track has held events sanctioned by major sanctioning bodies , such as the American Automobile Association , USAC , NASCAR , CART / Champ Car World Series , and the IndyCar Series . There have also been many races in regional series such as ARTGO . Racers who have competed at the track are a " Who ' s - Who " of racing history : Barney Oldfield , Ralph DePalma , Walt Faulkner , Parnelli Jones , A . J . Foyt , Al Unser , Bobby Unser , Mario Andretti , Bobby Rahal , Jim Clark , Darrell Waltrip , Alan Kulwicki , Emerson Fittipaldi , Bobby Allison , Davey Allison , Nigel Mansell , Michael Andretti , Alex Zanardi , Harry Gant , Rusty Wallace , and Walker Evans , as well as current racing stars Danica Patrick , Dale Earnhardt , Jr . , Dario Franchitti , Jeff Gordon , Tony Kanaan , Scott Dixon , Hélio Castroneves and many others . On December 16 , 2009 , Wisconsin State Fair Park officials confirmed that the Milwaukee Mile would not host any NASCAR or IndyCar races in 2010 . NASCAR confirmed that their June Nationwide Series date would remain in Wisconsin for 2010 , as they announced they would hold a race at Road America for the first time since the Grand National Series raced there in 1956 . NASCAR also announced on January 20 , 2010 that the Milwaukee date for the Truck Series would be moved to August . The track hosted two ASA Late Model Series races in 2010 . IndyCar returned to the track in 2011 , but The Mile was left off of the preliminary 2012 schedule after a poorly attended 2011 event that resulted in part from an inexperienced promoter . In February 2012 though , it was announced that IndyCar would return to the Mile on the weekend of June 15 – 16 . The event is being promoted by Andretti Sports Marketing , owned by former Indy driver Michael Andretti , and is being billed as Milwaukee IndyFest . The event will include open - wheel racing featuring the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Firestone Indy Lights , as well as driver Q & A and autograph sessions , music ( acts TBA ) and other attractions . History . Dirt track history . The track was a private horse racing track by 1876 . In 1891 , the site was purchased by the Agricultural Society of the State of Wisconsin to create a permanent site for the Wisconsin State Fair ( which it still is ) . The first motorsports event was held on September 11 , 1903 . William Jones of Chicago won a five lap speed contest , and set the first track record with a 72 second , lap . There were 24 - hour endurance races in 1907 and 1908 . Louis Disbrow won the first event in 1915 , averaging . Barney Oldfield ' s success at The Mile helped make him a legend . He set the track record in 1905 and raised his speed in 1910 to in his " Blitzen Benz " . In 1911 , Ralph DePalma won the first Milwaukee Mile Championship Car race , four years before his Indianapolis 500 win . Oldfield drove a gold car built by Harry Miller that completely enclosed the driver ( called the " Golden Submarine " ) , and in June 1917 he beat DePalma in a series of 10 to match races . The race usually credited as being the first Champ Car event at the track was held on July 17 , 1933 . The show was rained out . Wilbur Shaw and the other drivers convinced the track promoters to run the race the following day and the term " Rain Date " was born . Huge new grandstands were installed in the 1930s , with seating for 14 , 900 people . They replaced the original grandstands that were built in 1914 . A roof was placed over the grandstands in 1938 . These grandstands stood until new aluminum grandstands were installed in September 2002 . The 1937 Champ Car event was best known for running 96 laps ( instead of 100 ) due to a scoring error . It was won by Rex Mays , who continued his domination throughout the 1940s by winning in 1941 and the next race ( after World War II ) in 1946 . The tradition of hosting the " race after the Indianapolis 500 " began in 1947 . In the 1969 film , " Winning " , starring the late actor and race driver Paul Newman , the character he plays ( Frank Capua ) remarks , “ Everybody goes to Milwaukee after Indy . ” The Milwaukee Mile held more national championship midget , stock and Indy car races than any other track in the country between 1947 and 1980 . NFL Stadium in the Middle of the Quarter Mile Oval . The infield of the quarter - mile dirt infield track at the Mile near the current media center was also the location of a football stadium informally known as the Dairy Bowl . It hosted the NFL ' s Green Bay Packers from 1934 to 1951 when the team played in Milwaukee . The 1939 NFL championship game was played here . In 1940 and 1941 , the Dairy Bowl also served as the home of the Milwaukee Chiefs of the third American Football League . The 50 - yard line sat where the start - finish line is currently located . Open Wheel . In 1954 the track was paved , and an infield road course was created . The 1 / 4 mile dirt infield track was kept for weekly programs during the 1950s and 1960s . In 1963 Jim Clark won the first victory for a rear - engined Indy Car in his Lotus - Ford . In 1964 A . J . Foyt dominated in what was to be his final race in a roadster . The rear - engine began dominating races in the 1960s , replacing the front - engine roadster , but not before one unexpected race . In 1965 A . J . Foyt had to tow his front - engine backup dirt car from Springfield because his primary car and crew wouldn ' t make it to Milwaukee in time for qualifying . He prepared the car himself for pavement , and put the car on the pole with a speed of . He led for 16 of 200 laps , and finished second . The track was repaved before the 1967 season . By 1967 both the 1 / 4 dirt track and 1 / 2 mile road course were closed to accommodate the pit area . Lloyd Ruby swept both USAC races held at Milwaukee in 1968 , giving him three wins at the Mile including his first win there in 1961 . In the 1983 CART race , Tom Sneva finished first by 10 seconds . Post race inspection found an improper ground clearance on the side mount skirts , so second place finisher Al Unser was given the win . On appeal , the decision was overturned , and Sneva was awarded the win two weeks later . Sneva would repeat the win one year later in a new 200 kilometer race . The last sports car race was held on the infield road course on June 16 , 1984 . The track had deteriorated . It was repaved before October 2004 . In the 1985 CART event , Mario Andretti won the pole on his way to his fourth career track win . His son Michael won the next two races in 1986 and 1987 . Al Unser Jr . won the 1990 CART race after Michael Andretti ran out of fuel with two laps to go . The victory was the ninth for the Unser family ( father Al Unser , Sr . and uncle Bobby Unser each have four ) . The 1991 CART event , however , was dominated by their archrival Andretti family . For the first time in the worldwide history of auto racing , three member of the same family finished 1 – 2 – 3 . Michael Andretti won the race , second went to his cousin John , and third to his father Mario . Michael ' s brother Jeff finished 11th . Milwaukee was in danger of losing its CART date in 1992 . To save the date , the Fair Board hired Carl Haas to organize all track activities . The 1992 CART event was again won by Michael Andretti . In 1993 , reigning Formula One champion Nigel Mansell got his first oval track win on his way to winning the CART championship . In 2000 , Juan Pablo Montoya gave Toyota its first CART win . History was made again when Ryan Hunter - Reay led all of 250 laps to the victory . The final Champ Car race was held in 2006 , with eventual champion Sébastien Bourdais winning . The Indy Racing League IndyCar Series came to the mile in 2004 . Dario Franchitti won the inaugural event . His team , Andretti Autosport has won three races at The Mile with Tony Kanaan winning in 2006 & 2007 . The other races have been won by Penske Racing drivers Sam Hornish Jr . in 2005 and Ryan Briscoe in 2008 and Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon in 2009 . After a one - year absence from Milwaukee , Franchitti won in the Series return to the track in 2011 for Ganassi . NASCAR Nationwide Series / Craftsman Truck Series . NASCAR held two Nationwide Series ( formerly Busch Series ) stock car races at Milwaukee in 1984 and 1985 . The 1984 field was full of NASCAR legends : Alan Kulwicki ( 2nd ) , Dick Trickle ( 3rd ) , Bobby Allison ( 4th ) , Davey Allison ( 5th ) , Dale Jarrett ( 6th ) , and Darrell Waltrip ( 25th ) . The 1984 race was won by Sam Ard . On July 3 , 1993 , the NASCAR Nationwide Series returned to Milwaukee . The event was won by Steve Grissom . In 1996 Wisconsin native Dick Trickle was passed with four laps to go by Buckshot Jones , who nosed out Mike McLaughlin and won the race from the furthest starting spot ( 32nd ) and by the closest margin of victory in race and NASCAR Nationwide Series history ( . 002 seconds ) . The Nationwide Series has run every year since 1993 . Five drivers that won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Milwaukee went on to win the Busch Series championship in the same year ( Steve Grissom - 1993 , Randy LaJoie - 1997 , Dale Earnhardt , Jr . - 1998 , Jeff Green - 2000 , Greg Biffle - 2002 ) . Biffle became the first repeat winner when he scored back - to - back victories in 2001 and 2002 . Despite Trickle having come the closest previously , the last two NASCAR Nationwide Series races have been won by Wisconsin natives ( Johnny Sauter / Necedah - 2005 and Paul Menard / Eau Claire - 2006 ) . Menard also became the third driver to make the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Milwaukee his first career NASCAR Busch Series win , joining Buckshot Jones in 1996 and Casey Atwood in 1999 . The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series ( formerly Craftsman Truck Series ) ( CTS ) began racing at Milwaukee in its inaugural season in 1995 . Mike Skinner won the event . The 1996 event featured 17 lead changes . The CTS has returned every season since 1995 . Ted Musgrave became the only repeat winner as he followed up victory in 2001 with a second triumph in 2004 , both behind the wheel of the # 1 Mopar Performance Parts Dodge for Jim Smith and Ultra Motorsports . Musgrave is also the only Wisconsin native to have won the race . Two drivers have the distinction of having won both a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race and a NASCAR Busch Series race at Milwaukee . Ron Hornaday won in Truck race in 1996 and the Busch race in 2004 , while Greg Biffle won the Truck race in 1999 and the Busch race in 2001 and 2002 . The track was resurfaced after the 1995 season . In 2003 temporary Musco lights were brought in for the Champ Car World Series event . The temporary lights were also used for the CTS and Busch Series events in 2005 and 2006 . The following is a map of Milwaukee Mile : Records . ARCA RE / MAX Series IndyCar Series / Champ Car World Series Firestone IndyLights Series NASCAR Nationwide Series