Mile’s June race called off; promoter promises 2021 return
Add the June 13-14 stock-car weekend at the Milwaukee Mile to the list of events lost to the coronavirus pandemic.
Event promoter Track Enterprises and the ARCA Midwest Tour announced Tuesday they were forced to indefinitely postpone the races, which they’d fought for a month to keep on the calendar.
The event brought racing back to the State Fair Park oval in West Allis in 2019 after a four-year absence, attracted short-track racers from around the country and despite iffy weather drew a crowd of about 8,000 spectators, beyond the expectations of Track Enterprises head Bob Sargent.
“Aw, man . ... I love going to that track, and it was great when they announced right after we won that we were going back,” said Austin Nason, the Illinois driver who called his victory in the 2019 Father’s Day 100 at the Mile the biggest highlight of his career. “I know a lot of guys were coming from down south and all over the country.”
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has advised against large gatherings in the interest of coronavirus mitigation and there is no projected timetable for that advisory to change.
Track Enterprises said it would work with the Midwest Tour and State Fair Park to see if rescheduling would be possible. Sargent had said earlier a fall date would be difficult but he intends for the weekend to return next year regardless.
Refunds will be issued in the near future, Track Enterprises said.
The Mile presents obstacles other venues might not. It is located on publicly-owned property, and is in Milwaukee County, which has retained some of the strictest safer-at-home restrictions in Wisconsin.
Milwaukee County has accounted for nearly half of the state’s positive COVID-19 tests and more than half of its 459 deaths.
State Fair Park officials initially told Sargent a month ago the track would not be available, but he convinced them to hold off on canceling until it became clear that became absolutely necessary.
At the time, the State Fair Park Exposition Center was being prepared as an alternative coronavirus care facility that could be used to house non-critical COVID-19 patients if hospitals became overburdened. That has not happened.
A final decision regarding the weekend came during meetings Monday.
“I’m hopeful of going racing again anywhere soon,” said Nason, who is growing more frustrated with each cancellation. “I’m tired of sitting around, twiddling my thumbs with nothing to do at night or on the weekend. The cars are ready.”