TOOELE COUNTY, Utah -- The Miller Motorsports Park just wrapped up one of their biggest annual events, and the Supercar Grand Prix featured 92 cars and their crews, which drew thousands of spectators.
While the annual event is something familiar, FOX 13 News’ Todd Tanner spoke to racers about something new: the upcoming change in ownership at the motor sports park.
The Supercar Grand Prix draws race car drivers from around the country--and many from Europe as well. Racers who spoke with FOX 13 News tell us they love coming to this track and that news of its possible closure ricocheted throughout the racing community.
Earlier this month, it was announced the Mitime Corporation would be the new owner and the park would become the Utah Motorsports Campus.The company said they plan to invest millions of dollars into the park in the coming years.
Some critics, including Utah residents, expressed disappointment that the park would come under Chinese ownership, but professional drivers and race organizers are quick to point out that they consider this an international sport and they’re excited to see it grow.
“On one hand, we're all Americans and we all wanna see things stay in American hands and ownership, but when we look at the commitment: these are the same folks that bought a Swedish brand, they bought Volvo, and they made a commitment to that,” said Greg Gill, vice president and general manager of Pirelli World Challenge. “...They’re trying to make the same commitment here, and for a group of people that produce motorsports races: That’s good news. And I’m not going to worry about where it’s at, because we race here in North America.”
The Supercar Grand Prix in Utah gets bigger every year, and drivers who talked with FOX 13 say they’re confident it will only get bigger and they’re excited to come back. Some drivers and crews are locals, which makes the park in Tooele their home base.
