“It came down to if we were going to go forward, we were going to need help.”
And race promoter Michael Andretti found some home-state help when Diane Hendricks, Chairman of the Board, committed her Wisconsin-based company, ABC Supply, to be the title sponsor of the 2014 and 2015 Milwaukee Indy Fest IndyCar Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.
Christened the ABC Supply Wisconsin 250, the race will run on the weekend after the Wisconsin State Fair; August 16-17, 2014.
“We’re very excited to sponsor the race in our home state,” said Hendricks, the founder of the company which also supports AJ Foyt’s IndyCar team. “We have a large number of associates and customers in the Wisconsin area and are happy for the opportunity to support the oldest and longest operating motor speedway in the world. As a sponsor of AJ Foyt Racing for almost ten years, we’re thrilled to play a small part in open-wheel racing in Wisconsin.”
“Without them it wasn’t going to happen. We’ve got to thank people like them who went ahead and did what they did. They realize how important it is to the economy,” noted Andretti, whose sports marketing company has presented IndyCar races at the Mile for the past two years without a title sponsor. “It also has a lot to do with us pushing very hard and believing in this event from the standpoint of history and the tradition; what it means to the series and in the end what it means to the local community.”
When asked about the date change from Father’s Day weekend in June, to the week after the State Fair in August, Andretti noted that ABC Supply wanted a new date and that it worked out great for the IndyCar schedule as well.
“The date change was very important to ABC. They said if they were going to get involved, they wanted a different date. I was very happy that they pushed that and because of that we pushed it with the league (IndyCar) and they were able to give us a great date.
“Being part of the last three races of the championship, I think, is going to be really huge for the race.”
Mark Miles, IndyCar CEO, also is pleased that Milwaukee will be one of the final three events that will determine the IC championship.
“Our championship is fantastic the way it is, but if we can build it even more, why not,” said Miles who hopes that in the future the final races will include an oval, a road course and a street circuit to show IndyCar’s diversity, “We want to show each of our formats, but for next year, were pleased that the last three will be here, Sonoma and Fontana.”
And what about a race within a week of the popular State Fair?
John Yingling, Chairman of the State Fair Board, seems to be as enthusiastic about the date change as Andretti.
“The biggest strain will be on our Grounds staff. The fact that (the race) is on the track, which is not something that is heavily used during the Fair except for parking, makes it a lot easier,” the Chairman said. “We’ve looked at every aspect of this and really think that this can be accomplished.
“We are committed to this track. We thank IndyCar for including us in their program.”
And Andretti thinks highly of being able to inform a million Fair-goers about the upcoming IndyFest.
“We’re going to have the Fair to do a lot of marketing for the event. The league was great in trying to fit it into their schedule. State Fair pushed for the date They were 100% supportive.
“The schedule is one of the most complicated things to put together. We realize that people had other plans (on Father’s Day weekend). We thought we could make it work on a Saturday. In the end I think that was holding us back.
“It’s a two-year deal (with IndyCar), and hopefully beyond. Hopefully in the next year or so we can announce an extra year on top of it.”
Tickets for the ABC Supply 250 will be available beginning Nov. 13 at www.milwaukeeindyfest.com.
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