Since 1903, The Milwaukee Mile has hosted some of the most famous drivers in history. The perfect oval configuration of the ‘Mile’ is known for its relatively flat corners and hard racing. Only the most talented teams and drivers are rewarded for their skill on the oval that is renowned as the oldest operating auto racing facility in the world.
Canadian driver David Ostella of Maple, Ont., is ready to test his skills on the legendary track this weekend in the Firestone Indy Lights series at the Milwaukee IndyFest.
After experiencing some bumps on the road from Indianapolis to Detroit, Ostella won’t look back, but instead is shifting his focus forward to the finish line for this weekend’s 100-mile feature race on Friday, June 15.
“Preparation started early for this race as it requires a lot of mental focus and concentration. The higher speeds of the oval require as few mistakes as possible,” said the 20 year-old. “I feel good about our chances as we posted some solid times in testing on our last oval (Indianapolis) and I am looking forward to a solid finish forGlobal Precast, LiUNA and Team Moore Racing.”
Unavoidable contact at the Freedom 100 in Indianapolis led to a collaboration between Team Moore Racing and Bryan Herta Autosport in Detroit as both teams shared resources to put Ostella back on track for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
Unfortunately, early contact in the race put the young Canadian out of contention yielding a final result of 13th place. Not one to be overcome by the adversity, Ostella is back in his yellow and white No. 22 Global Precast/LiUNA/Xtreme Coil entry and ready to make a new tradition to go with echoes of history that still pace within the freshly painted blue walls of the Mile.
“I enjoy racing on ovals,” the 20-year-old said. “But Milwaukee is very different. It’s not flat-out like Indianapolis and a few other tracks. It takes more driver ability and courage. Qualifying will be more physically demanding, but a good starting position will boost our momentum for the race.”
Ostella is currently 11th in the championship points standings for the Firestone Indy Lights series leading into this race.
Qualifying for the Firestone Indy Lights 100 will begin June 15 at 11:45 a.m. The 100-lap, 100 mile race feature is scheduled for 5:45 pm and will be broadcast live from the IMS radio network and a delayed broadcast on NBC Sports Network set to air June 21 at 5 p.m. All times are local.