Inaugural Built Ford Tough Utah National this weekend

TOOELE VALLEY — Miller Motorsports Park's newest event, the Built Ford Tough Utah National, will take place this Saturday, August 17.

The Built Ford Tough Utah National is Round 11 of the 12-round Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and will be the first professional outdoor motocross event to be held in the State of Utah since 1973. The event will take place on a brand-new, state-of-the-art motocross track constructed in the northeast corner of MMP's East Road Course.

The action will get underway with practice sessions beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. There will be two classes participating - 250cc and 450cc - and each class will have four 15-minute practice sessions, a consolation race and two feature races, or motos. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 12:40 p.m., with the first moto taking place at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets for the Built Ford Tough Utah National are priced at $40 for adults and $20 for kids aged 6-11. Kids aged 5 and under will be admitted free of charge. Military personnel are eligible for a 50-percent discount on general admission tickets with a photo ID. Pit passes, which will allow fans access into the team pits between 9:00 a.m. and noon, are available for $20. Fans are advised to purchase tickets in advance, either at the MMP Box Office on online at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com or www.SmithsTix.com, to avoid standing in long lines on race day.

"We are very excited to drop the green flag on the inaugural Built Ford Tough Utah National," said John Larson, General Manager of Miller Motorsports Park. "Fans will see the same stars they've become accustomed to seeing at AMA Supercross events in Salt Lake City, such as Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, James Stewart and Chad Reed, but our track will be much faster and the jumps will be much higher. We think it's going to be a major hit with fans from Utah and across the Intermountain West."

The new, 1.1-mile track, designed by renowned motocross track architect Marc Peters, was constructed over the winter of 2012-2013. The course includes a unique uphill start, two huge triple step-up jumps that launch the riders high into the air, some tricky off-camber turns and other very large jumps.

"I think the riders are going to love this layout," said Peters. "This race will be like no other national out there, with an epic track surrounded by a beautiful facility."

The Built Ford Tough Utah National will be unique in the world of outdoor motocross. Most events are held in remote locales with minimal amenities. At Miller Motorsports Park, all the amenities that other racing series and fans have come to love - such as the garages, paved paddock, kart track, zip line, Clubhouse, covered grandstand, corporate suites, permanent cafes and restrooms - will now be available to outdoor motocross fans.

"One of the things that we think is going to be very popular," said Larson, "is that you can sit in the covered grandstands if you want, but you will also be able to stand very near the edges of the motocross course on what is normally our road racing track."

For information about Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit the track's website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com. For more information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, visit their website at www.AlliSports.com/motocross.

(Photo courtesy Miller Motorsports Park / Jeremy Henrie)

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