Today’s Schedule (Central Time)

1:30 pm Indy NXT practice Indycar Live

2:45 pm Indycar High line practice (2 groups, 15 minutes each)

3:30 pm Indycar all car practice (90 minutes) Peacock; Indycar Radio

Indycar fans’ loud clamoring for a return to to the Milwaukee Mile is just hours away from being realized. It may be a case of be careful what you wish for. How many of the fans who screamed the loudest for the series to return to the oldest track in the US will come to watch either or both of the 250 lap races Saturday and Sunday? How will the racing be?

I’m not sure there will be anything resembling a sellout. The racing could go either way. We could see the parade that was Iowa, or we could see a competitive event similar what we saw at WWTR two weeks ago.

No matter the size of the crowd or the quality of the racing, I will celebrate the return of arguably the second most historic venue on the Indycar circuit. This weekend should have lots of intrigue. The championship is up for grabs, and I am anxious to see what Race Control this week about will starts and restarts.

Nathan Brown of the Indy Star reported on a meeting between drivers and race control to clarify restart procedures. The drivers want a line painted on the track to define the end of the restart zone. They also want a penalty for a driver who does not maintain a constant speed. I assume we will find out today what will be done about it.

Both races are scheduled for 250 laps. I think that the races of a doubleheader should be different lengths. Saturday’s race should be 275 laps and Sunday’s 225 circuits. I don’t enjoy seeing the same event two days in a row.

How Much Will Experience Matter?

Only five drivers in the field- Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Graham Rahal, and Katherine Legge- have raced at Milwaukee. Power and Dixon have won here, and Newgarden earned his first career pole at The Mile.

Experience may play a small part in success this weekend, but the stronger teams will still be up front. Team Penske drivers have won all the oval races in 2024, and I believe someone on the team will win one of the races.

Points Chase

After Sunday, I expect Alex Palou’s lead in the championship to be even smaller than the 49 point advantage he h now has. I am assuming Will Power will win one of the races. Palou has yet to win on an oval, and I do not believe that strek gets broken Saturday or Sunday. If it does, the title is his.

While I believe Power will win one of the races, the Penske streak ends with Scott Dixon winning the other race.