Marco Andretti has visited the Milwaukee Mile several times during his career while racing in the IndyCar Series.
On Sunday afternoon, though, Andretti will take part in his first two stock-car events around the historic facility. The doubleheader opens with Andretti driving the No. 17 Chevrolet for Cook Racing Technologies in the ARCA Menards Series before he straps into the No. 04 Roper Racing Chevrolet for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Preparing for Sunday’s doubleheader has required Andretti to re-learn how to navigate the Milwaukee Mile, a theme that has followed him throughout his limited starts this year.
“I’m glad I ran the sim, because things are quite different from the IndyCar,” Andretti said. “I’m excited to be flying around [The Milwaukee Mile] and have some fun. It’s going to be a different perspective, but I’ve learned a lot of different types of tracks and the nuances of stock cars [this year], so right now I’m along for the ride.”
Andretti’s debut venture into the ARCA Menards Series platform has been one marred by mixed results.
The 2024 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway saw Andretti sustain damage in an early accident before a blown tire ended his night four laps before the finish. Andretti’s next four starts only saw him encounter more misfortune, with his best run being a ninth at Kansas Speedway.
A trip to a familiar complex in the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where Andretti had 15 previous IndyCar Series appearances, finally yielded a complete race for the veteran driver. After starting sixth, Andretti kept his car clean through 42 laps to net his first top-five finish on the ARCA Menards Series platform.
Andretti backing up that performance with another top 10 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park has given him confidence heading into Sunday’s Sprecher 150 and LiUNA! 175. The Milwaukee Mile was one of Andretti’s best tracks in the IndyCar Series, particularly in qualifying, where he tallied two poles.
Both of those events nearly ended with Andretti making a trip to Victory Lane. In 2008, he led 40 laps before getting tangled up in a late-race crash. In 2013, an electrical issue sidelined him after he led 61 laps.
The heavier-but-more-sturdy ARCA Menards Series and Truck Series chassis will require Andretti to approach the Milwaukee Mile differently. Despite this, recent success in stock cars has put Andretti in an ideal position to capitalize on the momentum with two strong outings Sunday afternoon.
“That’s what’s fun about this, it’s a lot of learning by fire for me,” Andretti said. “I’d like to finish better than what he have, probably around fifth to ninth range in ARCA. It’d be nice to crack the top 15 in [the Truck Series], but I’ve got to qualify better to make the next day easier. I’ve been starting too far behind the eight ball, and by the end of IRP, we were the fastest truck on the track.
“If we can start further up, I definitely think we’ll be in the mix.”
Andretti’s doubleheader begins when the Sprecher 150 commences at 2 p.m. ET on FS1 and FloRacing.
The LiUNA! 175 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series immediately follows at 5 p.m. ET for Andretti. That race also airs live on FS1.