Mclaughlin, Palou Earn Poles

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Scott McLaughlin won the pole for Race 1 at Milwaukee and Alex Palou willstart on the point in tomorrow’s race. For race 1 McLaughlin, second place Palou, and third place David Malukas will serve nine place grid penalties.

Qualifying started under overcast skies, but as the session went on skies got a bit brighter although never sunny.

Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden will star on the front row in today’s 250 mile race.

Dennis Hauger held the pole for a long time. He finished seventh and he will start fourth.

In Sunday’s race. Palou will start on pole alongside O’Ward. Newgarden will start third and Mick Schumacher fourth. Like Hauger for race 1, Schumacher hung onto the pole for race 2 for quite a bit of time.

The speed differentials for both contests is huge. The leaders should encounter slower traffic very quickly.

Kyle Kirkwood, second in the standings, qualified 22nd and 24th, the slowest of the Andretti cars. It might be difficult for him to prevent Palou from clinching t5he title today.

I will post the official starting lineup when it is available..

Race Day at Milwaukee- But First, Qualifying

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Good morning from a cloudy Milwaukee Mile.

IndyCar qualifies for toda’s race at 10 am Central time on FS1.

The Snap-On Makers and Fixers 250 green flag us at 1:50 pm Central on FOX. The race title just barely meets the requirement that the race distance is longer than the race title.

After Friday’s collision with Kyle Koirkwood, Christian Rasmussen will go to a backup car today . I have no idea why they were were running so close together in PRACTICE.

I could under4stand teammates doing some drafting work, but two cars from different teams racing each other like that before qualifying is a head scratcher. I think Kirkwood is a bit more at fault. It appeared he didn’t turn in.

Screen grab just before contact.

This weekend’s schedule does not make sense to me. If the series wanted a three-day program, Friday has to be more than single practice late on Friday afternoon. A late morning practice followed by midafternoon qualifying makes more sense.

I’ll be back after qualifying with the results and the official starting lineup. Five cars as of now will drop nine spots.

Greetings from Milwaukee

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The trip to the Milwaukee Mile was very smooth as traffic wa slight through Chicago.

The big story concerns an erroneous announcement from Baranquilla, Colombia, confirming an IndyCar race in that cit5y in 2028. IndyCar issued the following statement refuting confirmation.:

It is always good policy to wait until IndyCar announces a race and its date before believing it will be on the schedule. With rumors of a race in Brazil for 2027, I am skeptical that two South American races will be on the calendar.

IndyCar practice isn’t until 5 pm Central time this evening. The timing is puzzling since both races will finish well before that hour. I’m not sure what teams can learn at that hour that will help them for the race or qualifying.

I will have a post practice wrap up this evening.

Milwaukee Preview

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Photo-My favorite Milwaukee moment, the start of the August, 1965, race.

As you read this, I am on my way to Milwaukee

The schedule: Times are Central. On Sunday there is a 15-minute warm up for IndyCar. before the IndyNXT race. It is not televised

IndyCar rides a huge wave of momentum into Milwaukee for the final two oval races of 2026. After last Sunday’s race In D. C., which attracted 3.282,000 viewers, the series hopes to continue to raise awareness. This weekend is test of how many repeat new viewers watch at least one of the races.

The Milwaukee Mile was a long time IndyCar staple, and it is a shame that the series had it off the schedule for a few years. I am happy that it has returned, and on Thursday title sponsor Snap-On signed a five-year renewal with IndyCar. The only thing better would be to return this event to its proper place on the weekend following the Indianapolis 500.

Both races are 250 laps. I have always thought that on a doubleheader weekend the races should be different distances, with the longer race on the first day. Saturday’s race should 275 laps and Sunday’s race could run 250 laps. We have 75 laps left over from Nashville to play with.

A Lot on the Line

Despite Paqlou’s commanding lead in the points, many drivers are still fighting for positions, jobs for 2027, and to earn their teams a paycheck of more than $1 million.

Milwaukee is likely Chevrolet’s last chance to grab another win before the end of the season. The Detroit based power plant has won only five times this year, two of their victories are on oval, both by Josef Newgarden. I think Chevy will win once this weekend.

Alex Palou could clinch his fifth IndyCar title Saturday should Kyle Kirkwood falter. Palou leads Kirkwood by 91 points after Kirkwood’s win in Washington last Sunday. I do not expect Palou to have another bad day.

Kirkwood has solidified his hold on second place. he leads Christian Lundgaard by 19 points. David Malukas has fallen to 51 points in arrears, nearly a full race, behind the Andretti driver.

At the other end of the standings, Christian Rasmussen and Caio Collet are tied for the final spot in the Leaders’ Circle. Mick Schumacher is only 10 points behind.

Dennis Hauger leads the rookie standings by 24 points over Collet. I think he is safe, but things happen on ovals.

Puzzling Things

Things I still wonder about that have not happened this year:

David Malukas still hasn’t won a race. His performances have seemed to have fallen off a bit since his crash in Nashville. Perhaps getting back on an oval is just what he needs.

Why has Marcus Armstrong faded since his near win at Road America/? Armstrong is another driver I thought might see the top step of the podium at some point in 2026. After strong showings at the 500 and Road America, the New Zealander has been plagued by engine issues and other problems. A doubleheader could be a tonic for him also.

Odd statistic- Andretti Global and Arrow McLaren have combined to win as many races -6- as Alex Palou has this season.

Kirkwood’s crash at Markham cost him at least 20 points. After how the race played out in D.C., we could have been looking at a possible title challenge over the final three races.

Picking winners– Picking a winner for a single race is tough, but picking two on t5he same weekend? In no particular order the race winners will be Will Power and Scott McLaughlin.

Snap-on Extends Partnership with Milwaukee Race, INDYCAR, IMS 

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From IndyCar and IMS. Big news. The agreement is for five years.

 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026) – Snap-on Incorporated, Wisconsin State Fair Park and INDYCAR announced Aug. 27 that Snap-on will continue as title sponsor of the Snap-on INDYCAR Weekend at the Milwaukee Mile for multiple years.Snap-on also has renewed its multiyear partnership with INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), continuing as the Official Tools & Equipment Partner of both organizations.Founded in Milwaukee in 1920, Snap-on operates 15 manufacturing facilities across the United States, including two in Southeast Wisconsin. Its partnerships with the Milwaukee Mile, INDYCAR and IMS reflect the company’s broader connection to professional motorsports and the skilled professionals who drive it.
“Bringing INDYCAR racing back to the legendary Milwaukee Mile in 2024 was a win for Wisconsin and a win for race fans everywhere,” said Shari Black, CEO of Wisconsin State Fair Park.
“We’re extremely grateful for Snap-on’s continued support and its long-term commitment to this event. We look forward to working together to deliver the fastest racing on earth at the world’s most historic track.”Said Nick Pinchuk, Snap-on chairman and chief executive officer:
“Snap-on has been dedicated to celebrating the pride and dignity of Makers and Fixers performing critical work for over a century, and Milwaukee is a wellspring of the energy that has driven our enterprise from the very beginning. Extending our partnership with the Milwaukee Mile, INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reflects our deep respect for the skilled professionals of motorsports who make spectacular race days possible.”
This weekend, the partnership will be in action at the Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 on Saturday and the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 on Sunday. Fans can visit the Snap-on Experience to see demonstrations and the popular Snap-on truck parade, collect driver autographs and much more in the Free Fan Zone.
“Our partnership with Snap-on reflects a shared commitment to the people, skills and technical excellence that drive INDYCAR,” said Mark Miles, chief executive officer of INDYCAR and Penske Entertainment. “This extension demonstrates the strength of our extensive relationship across INDYCAR, IMS and the Milwaukee Mile. We look forward to continuing our work together and celebrating the people behind the performance.”
The weekend also will celebrate Makers and Fixers whose skill and expertise keep society moving, from repair garages and aviation hangars to plant floors. Saturday’s Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 will recognize technical education partners, students and instructors helping to address America’s critical skills gap. Sunday’s Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will honor the Factory 15, select associates representing the thousands of Makers who produce the tools and equipment professionals rely on every day.
As part of race weekend, the winning pit crews will again be recognized with the Snap-on Makers and Fixers Award for their highly specialized work and performance. INDYCAR and IMS will continue this initiative, including presentation of a similar award to the winning Indianapolis 500 pit crew.
Tickets for the 2026 Snap-on INDYCAR Weekend at the Milwaukee Mile are available at MilwaukeeMile.com.
Snap-on Incorporated is a leading global innovator, manufacturer, and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information and systems solutions for professional users performing critical tasks, including those working in vehicle repair, aerospace, the military, natural resources, and manufacturing. From its founding in 1920, Snap-on has been recognized as the mark of the serious and the outward sign of the pride and dignity working men and women take in their professions.
Products and services are sold through the company’s network of widely recognized franchisee vans, as well as through direct and distributor channels, under a variety of notable brands. The company also provides financing programs to facilitate the sales of its products and to support its franchise business. Snap-on, an S&P 500 company, generated sales of $4.7 billion in 2025 and is headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin.