After the first three NASA National Championships at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, NASA moved west in 2009 for a two-year run at Miller Motorsports Park and then returned again in 2013. The 2020 NASA Championships were slated to take place at this world-class facility, now called the Utah Motorsports Campus, but the COVID pandemic prompted cancellation. UMC is just west of the beautiful Oquirrh Mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah, and will host the NASA National Championships from September 5-8, 2024.
History
Miller Motorsports Park was the magnum opus of Salt Lake City business magnate Larry H. Miller. Miller got his start in the automotive world as a parts counterman and he built a business empire that included multiple car dealerships, a major network television station, the Utah Jazz pro basketball team, and many other business and real estate ventures.
Miller also was a major fan of Ford automobiles, which influenced the collection he assembled of rare and significant Ford street and racecars. He also had a passion for motorsports that few could match. A parcel of land just outside the small town of Tooele, west of Salt Lake City was selected as the home for construction of Larry’s lifelong dream of building his own race course near his hometown to enjoy. Although the track was initially planned to be a smaller hobby track, the scope was expanded to construct a true world-class facility after it received tremendous support from local businesses.
The track was designed by noted racetrack architect Alan Wilson, who penned the blueprints for spectacular tracks like Barber Motorsports Park and Autobahn Country Club. No expense was spared and no compromises were made in the design and construction of the facility, which cost a rumored $85 million upon completion in 2006. Aside from a track surface suited for FIA and FIM competition, the facility also features a go-kart track, off-road course, supermoto track, and a rock crawler course. UMC has hosted most of the big names in professional racing like World Superbike, American Le Mans, Grand-AM, Speed Vision/PWC/SRO, Formula Drift and AMA/Moto America.
Unfortunately, Miller passed away in 2009 after realizing his dream of building a true jewel in the high desert. The Miller family continued to run the facility for a few years until the property was acquired by Mitime Utah Investment, LLC and renamed the Utah Motorsports Campus.
Getting There
If you are traveling via the friendly skies, UMC is an easy 40-minute drive on Interstate 80 from the Salt Lake City International Airport. The Salt Lake City airport is a thoroughly modern facility, with easy access to I-80 and downtown Salt Lake City. Delta has a hub there and all the major carriers have ample flights into and out of town.
If you are a road warrior, you can wheel in from the west and east on I-80
or from the southeast on I-70 to I-15 north. To reach the track, you simply drive I-80 until you reach Utah Highway 36. From there, you head south on 36 and then turn right on Highway 138 to reach Highway 112/Sheep Lane, which is about 5 miles from the 36/138 split. You will turn left on to Sheep Lane and then the track will be ahead on your right 2 miles later. You turn into the main gate and then proceed down to the security gate, which is a short distance from Sheep Lane.
Staying There
The town of Tooele features a number of chain hotels and some smaller mom-and-pop type operations that are also serviceable. The Best Western and Holiday Inn Express are both solid options and are close to the restaurants and other shops in town.
Eating There
Tooele has a number of national chain restaurants, but also some good local joints. The Bonneville Brewery bar and restaurant just across from the Holiday Inn has a varied selection of traditional pub food along with a full bar featuring some standout local beers on tap. Bonneville also has plenty of fun activities with pool tables, dart boards, and a DJ on some of the weekend evenings.
If you like bowling and beer, Bonneville Brewery’s beers also are available at the local Pins & Ales, a bowling alley, restaurant and brew pub all in one. For family-style dining, check out Virg’s Family Restaurant. For a restaurant with a motorsports theme, the Pit Stop Bar and Grill could be just the ticket for hungry NASA racers.
There is one Thai restaurant in town, the Thai House Restaurant, and a few Mexican restaurants if you want a little variety and spice in your dining experience. Of course, there’s always Applebee’s near the Wal-Mart and a couple of Denny’s if you need the comfort of predictably styled American classics like the Moon Over My Hammy.
Driving There
While it may look rather flat and spread out to the untrained eye, UMC is full of surprises. The full configuration of the track is more than 4 miles long and includes a dizzying 23 turns to enjoy if you are running the whole enchilada. Trust me when I tell you that it is easy to get hopelessly lost and for your first few laps you might wish that you would have strapped a co-driver in the right seat to call out pace notes for you. The long front straight lets the big horsepower crowd bounce off the rev limiter before throwing out the anchor to make it through the first turn.
There are some fairly large elevation changes that make for interesting transitions in the Attitudes complex as you shoot toward the back half of the course. The track itself sits at over 4,000 feet above sea level, so make sure to tune for power at those higher heights if you are coming up from the flatlands.
Another big part of the UMC experience is the brilliant Day Garages and Grand Prix Garages that are fully equipped for your convenience and kept sparkling clean by the maintenance staff. The Grand Prix Garages include private bathrooms for each bay as well as fully climate-controlled interiors. During the NASA Championships, the play-by-play broadcast is pumped into the garages and there is also a live feed for timing and scoring displayed on the monitors.
You also can take a spin on the go-kart track with your pals during your off hours because the track is usually available and running during NASA weekends. There will also be special activities and meals during the Championship weekend, so check the schedule to make sure you don’t miss out on any fun.
As for car parts and fixes, there are a number of vendors in the in-house shops on the property that can help you out with serious repairs and Tooele has a number of car dealers and chain full-line auto parts stores where you replace busted parts and leaked fluids. As previously mentioned, there is also a Wal-Mart in town along with a number of other major chains, including Harbor Freight and Tractor Supply Company to get you whatever you forgot or need.
So, as September approaches, it’s high time to start thinking about high excitement high-altitude racing at UMC. I hope to see you there enjoying Larry Miller’s pride and joy.
The Facts
Utah Motorsports Campus
2901 North Sheep Lane
Tooele, UT 84074
435-277-RACE (7223)
http://www.utahmotorsportscampus.com
Holiday Inn Express Tooele
1531 North Main St.
Tooele, UT 84074
877-863-4780
Best Western Inn Tooele
365 North Main St.
Tooele, UT 84074
Bonneville Brewery
1641 N Main St.
Tooele, UT 84074
435-248-0652
Thai House Restaurant
297 N. Main St.
Tooele, UT 84074
435-882-7579
Pins & Ales
1111 North 200 West
Tooele, UT 84074
801-572-1122
Pit Stop Bar and Grill
104 N Broadway Ave.
Tooele, UT 84074-2240
435-228-6767
Virg’s Family Restaurant
29 N. Main St.
Tooele, UT 84074
435-833-9988
Where can you get full 85% E85 fuel?
JP Racecraft has Ignite on hand in Suite 302, I suggest putting an order in prior to your arrival. We also have an in-ground dyno.
Utah isn’t ideal for finding E85.
https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol-locations#/find/nearest?fuel=E85