Suddenly a busy summer for state racing fans
Wisconsin racing fans are luckier than those in most sports this year.
Although the racing season arrived late, with limits and in a completely unpredictable and scattered fashion, there is one in Wisconsin.
Got Milwaukee Brewers tickets? Hmmmm ... Plans to watch the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff run? September and October are nice. Unless there's football. Or unless there's no basketball and no football.
Buckle your seatbelts, though, for six weeks of engine noise and tire smoke. The stretch of summer about to begin was already ambitious, and rescheduling of events because of coronavirus concerns has only made it more jampacked with big events.
Here's a chronological look at what's ahead:
Moto America at Road America
Friday-Sunday: After the series’ season opener was held with two rounds at the 4-mile track in Elkhart Lake – with no tickets sold – high-level motorcycle road racing has a return engagement.
Although MotoAmerica may have some policies for interaction, Road America officials expect the weekend to operate essentially as normal, with an open paddock and the festival-style activities that go along with such an event and Saturday’s Vintage MotoFest. The track staff has gone through two spectator weekends, the SCCA June Sprints and SVRA vintage racing, running essentially as they had in the past.
Sneeze guards and sanitizer stations were added, and with print-at-home tickets and a liberal carry-in policy, the fan experience can be contact free. Plus the place covers 640 acres, room to accommodate plenty of people 6 feet apart. Read about the track’s coronavirus mitigation measures at roadamerica.com/safety.
World of Outlaws at Cedar Lake
July 2-4: While New Richmond is out of the area – 300 miles from Milwaukee and just 45 from Minneapolis – it’s the sort of event at the kind of place that draws plenty of travelers. And it’s about as ambitious a step as there’s been this year.
The sprint cars and the late models will share the weekend with qualifying on Thursday night and then full programs for both divisions both Friday and Saturday, capped with $20,000-towin features.
This will be the first event for either series for which attendance will not be limited by coronavirus mitigation restrictions.
Slinger Nationals
July 7: It should be business almost as usual for the nationally acclaimed super-late model special in its 41st year on the high-banked quarter-mile 30 minutes north of Milwaukee.
Due to local health guidelines, Slinger Speedway has been limited to 50% capacity in its grandstand, and it’s unclear whether that will change in the next two weeks. Still, the pits will be full of the usual assortment of talent, including Bubba Pollard, the 2017 winner from Alabama; Stephen Nasse, a top barnstormer from Florida; and promising Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim, both of whom have competed in the ARCA series.
IndyCar at Road America
July 9-12: This will be the first race with fans for the series that opened in a tight bubble in Texas and will race again during July 4 weekend in Indianapolis. Expect temperature checks at the gate and a paddock closed to all but teams and officials.
The lack of paddock access is a big change from tradition and no doubt a turnoff, but the trade-off is twin NTT IndyCar Series races Saturday and Sunday at 11:50 a.m. each day.
The schedule of support races remains a work in progress. Indy Lights is on hiatus for 2020, but Indy Pro 2000 and USF2000 remain part of the weekend. Vintage Indy has been added; the group will have two 30-minute exhibition sessions Saturday and two Sunday.
World of Outlaws … same day, two places
July 11: This quirk, sure to create conflict for some fans, came up even before the COVID-19 threat shook up schedules. The late models race at the Plymouth Dirt Track at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds, while the sprint cars are at Wilmot Raceway at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds.
Capacity limits have been in place at both venues. As of Tuesday, Sheboygan County and the City of Plymouth permitted 50% occupancy in the grandstand, which translates to about 2,200 people, and no cross-over from or into the pits.
Updates could come from the promoters or the Outlaws.
All Star sprint cars at Plymouth
July 30: The Rayce Rudeen Foundation Race, which brings attention to the need for prevention, treatment and recovery from addiction, was rescheduled from May due to the coronavirus-related sports shutdown.
At $26,000 to win, it pays about five times as much as the typical All Stars Circuit of Champions feature. Series owner Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion, plans to compete. IMSA at Road America
July 30-Aug. 2: Nothing has been announced regarding policies or procedures, but the event will be open to fans, the track said.
The WeatherTech SportsCar Series has raced just once this season, the Rolex 24 at Daytona in pre-coronavirus conditions. Its next race is a return to Daytona International Speedway on July 3-4, during which 5,000 fans exclusively from Florida will be permitted but will be subject to temperature checks and required to wear face coverings.
Midwest Tour at Kaukauna
Aug. 4: The half-mile Wisconsin International Raceway opened this month with crowds limited to 25% of capacity and social distancing encouraged.
ARCA Midwest Tour promoter Gregg McKarns said it’s too early to tell what changes the next six weeks might bring before the Ganrud Auto Group 250, the popular $10,000-to-win super-late model event traditionally known as the Dixieland 250. The track holds about 12,000 people.
Outlaws late models at Beaver Dam
Aug. 4: The World of Outlaws sprint cars raced on consecutive nights in June at Beaver Dam Raceway with crowd limits, but specifics for this event have not been determined.
NASCAR Xfinity at Road America
Aug. 6-8: Again, the facility’s size is its biggest benefit. NASCAR returned to racing with no fans for the Cup Series and has slowly added limited crowds based on local rules.
Outlaws late models at Cedar Lake
Aug. 6-8: The World of Outlaws’ $50,000-to-win USA Nationals feature Saturday is the biggest-paying special event in the state. Barring problems related to the Fourth of July sprint/latemodel double-header, anticipate similar conditions.
ARCA at Madison
Aug. 7: The half-mile Madison International Speedway in the Town of Rutland has been pushing to open for the season as Dane County has kept some of the most stringent safety measures in place during the coronavirus pandemic. This race remains on the schedule but is dependent on trickle-down effect from the changes to the NASCAR schedules as well as reopening.