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With three car accidents, three separate towing incidents, and at least a dozen moving violation and parking tickets under my belt, I am not exactly the world’s best driver, and I felt, well, less than qualified to report on the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.
With such a horrendous driving record, the moment I stepped into the place I half expected the vehicles to shudder, the sky to darken, and a severely grave tone to set across the park with my presence. But I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome and the fantastic facilities of the Miller Motorsports Park. To say that the park is a racetrack is an understatement. Remember that this Larry H. Miller. He turns what was originally intended to be a $5 million personal playground for driving into a $100 million dollar state-of-the-art racing facility. On the 511 acre site, the Miller Motorsports Park hosts professional and local racing events, as well as local Supermoto and Kart championships. The club house offers a variety of individual, family or business membership programs and luxurious spectator accommodations for corporate and group events. There is a fantastic museum on site along with various retail and specialty shops. Don’t be surprised if the fancy cars, roaring motors, and high speeds make you want to get in on the action. The park offers motorcycle accommodations, kart rental and racing, a driving school, and even camping for certain events. It is much more than a racetrack! "The driving school is a gift for the man who has everything" as John Gardner, Miller Motorsports Park media manager, said. For those who prefer to sit in the driver’s seat rather than on the spectator benches, open track day allows anyone with any safe vehicle to drive as fast as they like on the track. So for those with a need for speed, this is your chance to see what you and your car really can handle. Every driver is required to attend an orientation and driver evaluation. Prove that you are a comparable driver and you are free to use the track on any open track days. Cost of open track day depends on how long you wish to drive. A half day includes a minimum of three twenty-minute sessions in the afternoon and costs $175 for automobiles and $120 for motorcycles. A full day includes a minimum of two twenty-minute sessions in the morning and three twenty-minute sessions in the afternoon and costs $275 for automobiles and $190 for motorcycles. This is a great opportunity to drive your sports cars and bullet bikes while avoiding pricey speeding tickets and risking lives on the highway. Another important aspect of the driving school is the defensive driving courses like the Highway Survival Clinic, Teen Driving Academy and Winter Driving Academy. I once took a required defensive driving course to improve my driving record; the courses described to me that are offered at MMP sound much more thorough than the one I took. For example, the Winter Driving Academy offers hands-on training to teach drivers how to drive out of a skid without over correcting, in addition to many other important skills that help the driver anticipate and avoid accidents. With so much to see and learn at Miller Motorsports Park I nearly forgot the reason I came: to drive the karts. The Miller Kart Track can run in 20 different configurations and is just short of one mile long. The track also has dirt sections on the east and west ends for the Supermoto motorcycle racing. As I approached the track a family had just finished racing. A young boy beamed with pride knowing he out drove the adults. "I drove the slowest but it was really fun anyway!" one woman said. It is a great family activity since kart racing is easy enough for any age from five years old to sixty-two years old. It is fun for the expert and first time kart driver. With my shady driving history, even on a kart I was a bit apprehensive about driving. But I was assured that it is very difficult to injure yourself or the karts and to drive as fast as possible. The karts reach approximately 40 mph. I puttered around for a bit and slowly became more confident going faster and faster until I held the gas pedal to the floor. Forgetting to break before a turn, the kart skidded into the side, causing intense vibrations. Not having driven go-karts since I was 12 years old, I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had! Allow your imagination to take over and become a champion racer, blazing your way to the finish line, grazing the car beside you! (Maybe that is a bit much.) To thoroughly enjoy yourself do bring a group of five or six friends or your family. Engage in a little friendly competition! You can bump, race, and side swipe without much worry of hurting anyone. The kart facilities cost $20 per person. See the website for detailed pricing info. The Miller Motorsports Park is something I knew little about. Do not let the thought of driving all the way to Tooele discourage you from making the trip. From downtown Salt Lake City, the drive is only about ten minutes longer than the drive from downtown Salt Lake City to Park City. With so much to offer it really is worth the short trip! If you go: 1. Drive west on I-80 headed toward Reno. 2. Take exit 99 (Hwy 36) 3. Turn right on highway 138 4. Turn left on Sheep Lane Miller Motorsports Park 2901 N Sheep Lane Tooele, Ut 84014 Tel: (435) 277 RACE Web: www.millermotorsportspark.com |
