Bob Pockrass
FOX Motorsports Insider
With two races left in the INDYCAR season, drivers head to two tracks where most don’t have much experience.
Both The Milwaukee Mile and Nashville Superspeedway were on the 2024 schedule, but it was the first at Milwaukee in nine years and the first time ever for INDYCAR at Nashville.
They are both ovals but quite different ones. Milwaukee is a relatively flat asphalt oval, while Nashville (1.33-mile) is a moderately-banked concrete oval.
Last year, Milwaukee was the site of a doubleheader. This year, it’s one race on Sunday at the track that is part of Wisconsin Fair Park.
“Going to Milwaukee last year, I think there was a lot of questions raised from everybody,” said Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard. “It’s been a while since we had been there.
“It produced such great racing, that I think all of us left last year wanting to do another race.”
They get that chance on Sunday. They have a full day on Saturday with a practice (11 a.m. ET, FS1), qualifying (2 p.m. ET, FS1) and then more practice that includes time for them to try to rubber in the lower groove, as well as time for final preparations (4:30 p.m. ET, FS2).
The race is set for Sunday afternoon (2 p.m. ET, FOX) with 250 miles on the 1.015-mile oval.
A Rich History
The Milwaukee Mile has a rich history in INDYCAR racing. The first race in 1939 was won by Babe Stapp. There have been 115 INDYCAR races at the track.
There are four former winners in the field: last year’s winners Pato O’Ward and Scott McLaughlin and two winners from more than a decade ago in Scott Dixon and Will Power.
Tight Points Battles
Alex Palou clinched the title at the last event at Portland. But just because the championship is already decided doesn’t mean drivers don’t have anything to race for when it comes to points.
Christian Lundgaard is just 13 points out of third, and Kyle Kirkwood is just 11 points behind Lundgaard for fourth. Sixth through ninth in the standings and separated by 11 points are Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist, Coton Herta and Marcus Armstrong.
And in the battle for 10th, Scott McLaguhlin is two points behind David Malukas, while Rinus VeeKay is 15 points behind, followed by Christian Rasmussen (20 points out of 10th) and Santino Ferrucci is 25 points back.
Christian Lundgaard is 12 points out of third place.
The Big Beef
Christian Rasmussen and Conor Daly didn’t see eye to eye on the crash that sent Daly hard into the barrier at Portland, so if they get near each other, that will be something to watch. They likely won’t give each other many breaks.
Daly said on his “Speed Street” podcast that they did meet and talked but it doesn’t sound like they view it much differently.
“I would say it was quite an unsavory move and I don’t really understand it,” Daly said on the FOX telecast. “That was a shame.”
Daly felt that Rasmussen should have been penalized. Rasmussen didn’t see it that way at Portland and wasn’t penalized, which Rasmussen said indicates he didn’t do anything wrong.
Rasmussen said some earlier contact was his fault, but it didn’t necessitate the way they ran into the turn where the crash eventually happened.
“That’s what you can expect to happen when you try to roll the outside in Turn 10 … together with me being alongside of him,” Rasmussen said. “I don’t know if he just expected me to pull out of it. I’m on the inside, so I wasn’t going to pull out.
“Obviously, race control saw it the same way.”
The Big Question
Where will Will Power race next year? That was part of this piece ahead of Portland and very well could be part of the piece going into the season finale next week at Nashville.
But now Power has a win this year after capturing Portland for a second consecutive year. And that was the first win for Team Penske this season.
“I go into every weekend, I feel like we have a chance to win as a team and as a driver,” Power said. “If everything goes right, we’ll be in the hunt. That goes for the last two races.”
Power said he probably won’t know until next week or in the days after the season finale at Nashville as far as whether there is a chance that Team Penske will retain him.
“Maybe it’s my decision,” Power said after that Portland win.
Where will Will Power land next season in INDYCAR?
Rahal Momentum
Graham Rahal carries some momentum of a fourth-place finish from Portland into this race. And even if it doesn’t mean good results at Milwaukee, it means confidence for the veteran going into the offseason.
“When the opportunity was there, we took it and were ready to go,” Rahal said. “We have a lot of confidence when it comes to road and street courses.”
And The Champ?
Alex Palou has just two starts at the track with finishes of fifth and 19th. But the 19th last year was the result of an engine issue where the team had to do extensive work on the car before and after the green flag flew.
Palou could tie the INDYCAR record of 10 wins with victories at Milwaukee and Nashville. He admits it’s not likely but he has had a career year.
Alex Palou has eight wins so far during this historic season, including the Indy 500
It has been a season that has everyone chasing him.
“You can’t win all of the races, apart from if you’re Alex Palou kind of deal,” Lundgaard said. “He can. That’s what makes it great. It forces me to work harder.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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