The Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile at a glance
- Location
- West Allis, Wisconsin
- Type
- road course & oval
- Length
- 1.015 mi (1.633 km)
- Turns
- 4
- Direction
- counter-clockwise
- Banking
- 9.25° in the turns, 2.5° on the straights
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1903
- Owner
- State of Wisconsin
- Capacity
- 37,000
Track map and layout
The Milwaukee Mile is a one-mile paved oval with four corners banked at 9.25 degrees, modest by modern oval standards but enough that veteran drivers describe the track as handling more like a road course than a flat oval, since the banking rewards a very specific line rather than allowing cars to run flat-out around the whole lap. Little about the basic oval configuration has changed since it was paved in 1954, which is part of its appeal to historians and fans of open-wheel racing's earlier eras. An infield road course of roughly 1.8 miles with about 10 turns was also built into the property, and that road course, not the oval, is what SCCA and other club organizations use for regular track days, time trials and driver training.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Oval | 1.015 mi | The historic one-mile paved oval used for IndyCar and Indy NXT |
| Infield road course | 1.8 mi | Roughly 10-turn road course used for SCCA club racing, time trials and testing |
Events and race weekends
The oval's headline weekend is an NTT IndyCar Series doubleheader, which returned to the Milwaukee Mile in 2024 after an eight-year absence and continues to run there as of the 2026 season; Indy NXT also competes on the same weekend. On the infield road course, Milwaukee Region SCCA runs a regular calendar of evening and weekend track days and time trials through the season, distinct from the oval's professional racing dates.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndyCar Series Milwaukee doubleheader | NTT IndyCar Series | August | Two-race weekend on the historic oval, also featuring Indy NXT |
| SCCA Milwaukee Region track days and time trials | SCCA | Spring-Fall | Held on the 1.8-mile infield road course, not the oval |
Getting there and parking
The Milwaukee Mile sits on the grounds of Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, a close-in suburb just west of downtown Milwaukee, making Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport the natural gateway for fly-in visitors.
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) · about 20 min drive
Parking
Parking is available on the State Fair Park grounds during events; details and pricing vary by event and are managed by Wisconsin State Fair Park.
Hotels and camping near The Milwaukee Mile
Because the Milwaukee Mile sits within a major metro area rather than a rural track complex, visitors typically stay in downtown Milwaukee or the western suburbs rather than camping on-site; the track has none of the extensive on-site camping culture seen at rural club circuits.
Where to look
Downtown Milwaukee and the western suburbs of West Allis and Wauwatosa, all within 15-20 minutes of the fairgrounds.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Public track-day access at the Milwaukee Mile is on the 1.8-mile infield road course, not the historic oval. Milwaukee Region SCCA is the primary organizer, running a season of evening 'Thursday Night Thunder' track days and time trials as well as occasional full-day events, giving Milwaukee-area club drivers a nearby alternative to Road America and Blackhawk Farms.
Who runs days here
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CART (oval) | 0:21.519 | Scott Pruett | Reynard 97I | 1998 |
Spectator guide
As the oldest operating motor speedway in the world, the Milwaukee Mile has permanent grandstand seating built up over more than a century of continuous racing, giving IndyCar fans clear sightlines across most of the short, one-mile oval from a single seat.
Seating
Permanent grandstands ring most of the oval, offering views across multiple corners from most sections.
Best places to watch
Grandstands along the front straight and through Turns 1-2 give the widest view of the compact oval.
Weather
- Aug: warm Wisconsin summer conditions for the IndyCar weekend, typically highs in the low-to-mid 80s°F
History of The Milwaukee Mile
The oldest track in the world
The Milwaukee Mile traces its origins to 1876, when the site on the grounds of what became Wisconsin State Fair Park was built as a one-mile horse-racing track. Automobile racing arrived in 1903, and that first car race is now recognized as the start of the venue's continuous operation as a motor speedway — a run interrupted only by U.S. involvement in World War II, giving the Milwaukee Mile a legitimate claim to being the oldest operating motor speedway in the world.
From dirt to pavement
For more than half a century the Mile ran as a dirt oval, hosting a stream of championship midget, stock car and Indy car racing that, between 1947 and 1980, saw more national championship races held there than at any other track in the country. A tradition of running "the race after the Indianapolis 500" began in 1947, cementing the Mile's place on the open-wheel calendar. The track was finally paved in 1954, and the one-mile oval configuration with 9.25-degree banked turns has changed little since.
Modern era and continuing relevance
The Mile went through periods of reduced professional racing activity in the 2010s before the NTT IndyCar Series returned in 2024 for a doubleheader weekend, an event that has continued through the 2026 season alongside Indy NXT. Away from the professional calendar, the property's 1.8-mile infield road course, distinct from the historic oval, keeps the site active for grassroots motorsport: Milwaukee Region SCCA runs a regular program of evening track days and time trials there, giving local club drivers ongoing access to a piece of American racing history even when the big IndyCar grandstands are empty.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Milwaukee Mile?+
The historic oval is exactly one mile (1.015 mi / 1.633 km) with four turns banked at 9.25 degrees; a separate 1.8-mile infield road course also exists on the property.
Why is the Milwaukee Mile called the oldest operating speedway in the world?+
It has hosted at least one automobile race every year since 1903, except during U.S. involvement in World War II, a continuous run no other operating motor speedway can match.
Can club racers drive the Milwaukee Mile?+
Yes, but on the 1.8-mile infield road course rather than the historic oval — Milwaukee Region SCCA runs regular track days and time trials there.
Does IndyCar still race at the Milwaukee Mile?+
Yes. The NTT IndyCar Series returned in 2024 after an eight-year absence for a doubleheader weekend, which has continued through the 2026 season alongside Indy NXT.
When was the Milwaukee Mile paved?+
In 1954; it ran as a dirt track for the first several decades of its life as a motor speedway.
Where is the Milwaukee Mile located?+
On the grounds of Wisconsin State Fair Park at 640 S. 84th St in West Allis, Wisconsin, just west of downtown Milwaukee.
Other tracks nearby
- Road America · 54 mi · road course
- Blackhawk Farms Raceway · 67 mi · road course
- GingerMan Raceway · 104 mi · road course
- Chicagoland Speedway · 107 mi · oval
- RedBud MX · 118 mi · motocross
- Michigan International Speedway · 203 mi · oval
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.