In the 117 races in which all of the iterations of IndyCar has run at the Milwaukee Mile since 1939, one driver stands out as the indisputable King of the Mile. Rodger Ward won the Milwaukee race seven times between 1957 and 1963. A. J. Foyt and Mario Andretti are a distant second with four wins each.

In Ward’s era, Milwaukee hosted a race the weekend after the Indianapolis 500 and another race in August. Ward never swept a season at Milwaukee, but twice he won the August race and then the June race the following year.

Ward won in Milwaukee in August in each year of his two Indy victories, in 1959 and 1962.

Despite all his wins at the Wisconsin State Fair track, Ward won the pole just once, in the June 1964, race. Foyt, who was virtually unbeatable that year, won the race. Ward did not finish that one but came back to get second place in the August running won by Parnelli Jones. His only other podium was third place in1956.Jimmy Bryan was the winner.

Ward’s won in 1957 (June), 1958 (August), 1959 (August),1960 (June),1961 (June),1962 (August), and 1963 (June). He participated in 26 races at The Mile. Ward had three other top five finishes, 5th in 1951, 4th place in both 1962 and 1963, years when he won the other race that year.

Rodger Ward transformed from a journeyman driver into one of the sport’s top stars in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He retired after the 1966 Indianapolis 500.