Milwaukee IndyFest - Motorculture In Motion
Milwaukee IndyFest podium where two of the race promoter's drivers sit in positions P1 - Ryan Hunter-Reay, and P3 - James Hinchcliffe. A driver who use to race for Andretti Autosport and now drives for KV Racing Technology, Tony Kanaan came in at P2. Image Credit: Marcus Hotels
Milwaukee IndyFest - Motorculture In Motion
The IZOD IndyCar race last weekend was an interesting study in motorculture in motion (as viewed in more ways than just the race).
Traditionally, the open-wheel race at the track known as the Milwaukee Mile was held as the first race after the Indianapolis 500. The race is run on the Wisconsin state fair grounds and it garnered excitement for this distinction and the fact this was intimate short track race on a surface that was wide and flat, that in past races helped to increase the visual nature of the competition for all who attended.
Further, this was a good race for television, as long as there was 2 to 3-wide passing throughout the field. Homes and West Allis town streets could be seen in the background as the cars raced by at speeds up to 168 mph.
The Milwaukee Mile track is also known as America's Legendary Oval because it is the oldest, continuously used auto racing track in the world. It started as a horse track in 1876 and the first auto racing event was held on September 11, 1903.
This race had been dropped off of the schedule in 2008 and again for 2012 due to tepid fan and corporate support. The last few years put the future of an IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile on life support, that is, until Michael Andretti's marketing company took over to stage Milwaukee's IndyFest at the Mile on Father's Day Weekend.
On October 14, 2011, Michael Andretti announced the launch of Andretti Sports Marketing LLC. This new venture is the result of the business expansion strategy of INDYCAR team Andretti Autosport to provide turn-key marketing solutions for companies both within and outside of its sponsor base.
Andretti Sports Marketing's agenda will leverage the considerable expertise of its staff in multiple sports marketing formats on behalf of corporate clients in all forms of sport as well as in professional motorsports where Andretti Autosport made its mark as one of North America's leading sports marketing properties.
Then on February 10, 2012, Andretti Sports Marketing Wisconsin, led by IndyCar team owner Michael Andretti, announced that it will promote the Milwaukee IndyFest at the Milwaukee Mile, June 15 and 16. The Father's Day weekend festival will be headlined Saturday afternoon by an internationally televised IZOD IndyCar race and will also include many other events designed to create a memorable family holiday weekend at the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds.
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