There are few tracks in the United States as historic as the Milwaukee Mile – the flat one-mile oval located at Wisconsin State Fair Park. There are also few tracks on the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule as tricky to get around. That is what makes the Milwaukee IndyFest Presented by XYQ so much fun for the 25 drivers.

So let’s get right to the “Hot Spots."

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

Tires will play a key role in determining the race because of the current compound that Firestone engineers have brought to the Milwaukee Mile. Combine that with the one-mile oval and the ability to manage tires will be important.

“The hot spots are the tires,” said Graham Rahal. “It seems the rear tires fall off and that makes it hard. Traffic combined with the tires falling off and it is making it hard.”

Discovering what setup works best will be the key.

“I don’t know if it is the car, the track or the tires but everyone is on a fine edge,” said Oriol Servia. “It will be interesting. We’ve been struggling big time with the car and in qualifying I had the best balance I had all along. I was just slow.”

Many drivers believe the tire wear is actually good for the style of racing.

“The tires are falling off and long runs will be a talking point in the race but that makes the racing better,” said E.J. Viso. “It’s going to be a great race, just like Texas.”

TRAFFIC JAM

IndyCar racing on the short ovals is exciting because of the role traffic plays in determining the nature of the race. That means drivers have to get on and off the accelerator -- timing that is very important.

“Traffic is huge and you are going to be in traffic all day,” said Ryan Briscoe. “It’s tough. You have to set the car up to run multiple lines so you can get through it. Here in the race, depending on where set-ups go, some drivers like the top of the track and some the bottom so depending on where they are you may have more racing lines here than at a place like Iowa.”

PASS ANYWHERE YOU CAN

When it comes to passing points at Milwaukee, the answer is simple.

“Anywhere you can,” Briscoe said. “It depends on how bad other guys become. It’s a matter of being consistent and waiting on everyone else to turn to crap.”

That notion is seconded by the driver that finished second at Texas last week.

“Everywhere and anywhere,” Rahal said. “There are two spots – Turns 1 or Turn 3. The best place to pass is anywhere you can pass.”

One driver has a good idea of how to get to the front.

“We’ve been working off Turn 2 and get the inside down into Turn 3,” said last week’s winner, Justin Wilson. “The key is to have a good car middle of the turn off.”

A SHORT OVAL WITH A STREET COURSE FEEL

While the Milwaukee Mile is the epitome of old-style Indy car racing it may actually favor some of the drivers that do well on street and road courses.

“You have a lot more downforce and it’s a lot grip available to take the corners,” said rookie Rubens Barrichello. “This has a street course feel to it. Turns 3 and 4 when I came here for testing was the fastest cornering I’ve ever felt. There is a little more to this than the street courses because it is flat. You have to work on it and while it’s an oval you really have to drive on it.”

“Great racing,” said Simon Pagenaud. “I think that is what we all want. This is going to be fun.”

A REAL BLOWHARD

Wind could also be a big factor in the way the IndyCars handle on the track.

“The wind has been a big factor as well because of which direction it blows mixes up the balance on the track. The track is flat and you tend to feel it more at a track like this,” Briscoe said.