WEST ALLIS – The Craftsman Truck Series will not return to the Milwaukee Mile in 2025, according to John Yingling, chairman of the State Fair Park board. This announcement comes after a two-year period during which NASCAR made its return to the track.
IndyCar is set to race on August 24, a change from its previous schedule that coincided with NASCAR events at the venue in 2023 and 2024. This rescheduling is due to television commitments, as explained by Yingling. He described how changes in broadcasting arrangements, particularly with Fox as they shift from NBC, impacted the racing calendar.
Track Enterprises, which has been overseeing stock car races at the Mile since 2019, was unable to secure another date with NASCAR that wouldn’t conflict with scheduled events at State Fair Park. “It’s a matter of scheduling,” Yingling stated, adding that television dynamics greatly influence such decisions.
Bob Sargent from Track Enterprises noted that despite having a multi-year agreement with NASCAR for Milwaukee, the absence of a 2025 date suggests a change in plans. The Truck Series successfully returned to the track last year, marking the first NASCAR race there since 2009.
“Basically, they just bumped us,” Sargent commented about the scheduling conflict.
IndyCar made its return announcement last year, planning a doubleheader on Labor Day weekend, making for a busy eight days of racing that included NASCAR events. The 2025 IndyCar schedule now includes a single race at Milwaukee on August 24, with over $8 million invested to upgrade the facilities to meet IndyCar standards.
As discussions around the NASCAR schedule continue, Sargent has held off on commenting about the Truck Series while awaiting clarity on future dates. An update from NASCAR is anticipated within the week.
This year marks the third consecutive season without a renewed NASCAR national series race in Wisconsin, following the discontinuation of the Cup Series after its last run at Road America and the conclusion of the Xfinity Series there after 14 years.
Ty Majeski, a local driver, expressed concern about the lack of NASCAR events in Wisconsin, highlighting the strong fan support seen at previous races.
Sargent indicated he had explored at least ten additional dates other than the weekend before Labor Day, but each faced scheduling conflicts.
Despite the current uncertainty, Yingling remained hopeful that NASCAR could return to the Milwaukee Mile in 2026, emphasizing the strong relationship with Sargent and Track Enterprises in the pursuit of future racing opportunities.