History
This track was originally conceived as a novelty track for Larry H. Miller, owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz and various automobile dealerships in the area, to use as a personal playground, with a budget of about $5 million. Due to enormous local motorcycle and auto industry support the concept gradually grew into an $85 million plus project, one of a kind in the U.S.
The track was designed by world renowned engineer Alan Wilson. The kart track was opened in September, 2005 and the large track was opened to the public on 1 April 2006 when APEXtrackdays hosted the first motorcycle track day. A ceremony conducted by Miller kicked off this inaugural event.
In 2006, the track's first year of operation, it hosted the Utah Grand Prix with the American Le Mans Series, a Honda Summit of Speed AMA Superbike double-header event, and the Discount Tire Sunchaser 1000, a nine-hour endurance race held by the Grand American Road Racing Association (since shortened to 250 miles). It was unusual for a race track to attract so many relatively big-budget race events in its first year of operation. The track is also host to a WERA Grand National motorcycle roadracing event and the regional motorcycle roadracing series Masters of the Mountains, promoted by the Utah sport bike association.
The facility was named Motorsports Facility of the Year on 8 November 2006 by the Professional Motorsport World Expo in Cologne, Germany.
On 14 July 2007, the track hosted its first-ever NASCAR event with a 150 miles (241.4 km) Grand National West Series race on the 3.048-mile (4.905 km) Outer Track. The series has visited Miller every year since then, having switched to the outer course.
On 22 August 2007, Miller Motorsports Park announced a three-year deal to bring the FIM Superbike World Championship to the track; the Superbike World Championship will race at the track for the first time on 1 June 2008 with the AMA Superbike Championship. To avoid direct comparisons between World Superbike and AMA Superbike, and because of sponsorship issues, the two championships will race on different configurations of the circuit. World Superbike will use the Outer course, while AMA Superbike and its support classes will use the Full course.
The American Le Mans Series did not return to the Utah Grand Prix for 2011, and a K&N Pro Series West race was substituted. It was also announced that AMA Superbike would return to the track in 2011 with World Superbike.
Read more about this topic: Miller Motorsports Park
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