Andretti Autosport driver Ryan Hunter Reay earned his first win of the season at Saturday’s Milwaukee IndyFest, a 250-lap race around the nation’s oldest operating track, the Milwaukee Mile.
The 31-year-old Floridian drove the DHL/Sun Drop Chevrolet from second at the start to the lead on lap 142 and never relinquished it.
“I’m happy to be here in DHL Victory Circle,” said Hunter-Reay on his website. “That was so much work. I think that was one of the most physical races I’ve ever driven. I was just hanging onto it the whole time.”
This was Hunter-Reay’s second win at The Mile; he led every lap of a 2004 race there.
It was fitting that an AA driver win; team owner Michael Andretti took over promotion of the race to keep the track from closing. The track was nearly sold after a few years of low attendance. Under AA management, the race was a winner in more than one way.
The track has hosted at least one race every year since 1903. Thanks to Andretti and IndyCar the tradition will continue.
