WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Early in his 20-year career with the Milwaukee Brewers, Robin Yount would forego showering after an afternoon game at County Stadium and hightail it to the Milwaukee Mile to watch the Indy cars run.
An example during two separate homestands in 1976: Mike Mosley won the June race, holding off Gordon Johncock, who also was runner-up in the August race to Al Unser. It's one of the pieces of lore at the historic oval, which hosts the Verizon IndyCar Series ABC Supply Wisconsin 250 at Milwaukee IndyFest this weekend.
Baseball was Yount's passion, with motorsports an avocation he participated in as a competitor and team owner.
Yount drove Sports 2000 cars and was co-owner of P-1 Racing that won the Formula Atlantic title in 1990 (Mark Dismore) and 1991 (Jovy Marcelo). An avid karter, Yount also was instrumental in the career development of Buddy Rice, who went on to win the 2000 Atlantics championship and 2004 Indianapolis 500.
“Robin loved to race too, and he and I were racing go-karts together in 1996 (in the Phoenix area) when he helped me with some better equipment, and then later he got me acquainted with (Indy car team owner and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner) Bobby Rahal,” Rice said.
The Baseball Hall of Famer most recently attended the Verizon IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.