The Milwaukee Mile doesn’t actually have a racing promoter, or anyone selling tickets or soliciting sponsors for the 2010 season. Not yet, anyway. But here’s what the troubled 106-year-old racetrack does have, as of Tuesday: a place on the NASCAR calendar. “We’re very happy to see ourselves on there,” said Tony Machi, a partner in a group trying to save the track.”We’re not going to get into our financials, but we’re confident we’ll have an acceptable plan and lease agreement for State Fair Park to consider at the end of this month.” Historic Mile was given a Sept. 29 deadline to demonstrate to State Fair Park management it had the financial wherewithal to promote races and to secure race dates. That second condition was met Tuesday. The Mile holds June 18 on the Camping World Truck Series schedule and June 19 on the Nationwide Series schedule. Craig Barkelar, State Fair’s interim executive director, said negotiations continue with Historic Mile and he is confident the group will meet the fiscal conditions. It remains unclear how the debts left by previous promoter Claude Napier would be paid. “All I can say is that our discussions with the promoter have gone very well and Milwaukee is currently on the 2010 schedule; like all other events on the schedule, there is a sanction in place,” NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said in an e-mail.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)(9-17-2009)
