Miller Motorsports Park news 2007-05-17

Miller Motorsports Park Driving School Joins Forces with Ford Racing

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (May 17, 2007) -- The high-performance driving school at Miller Motorsports Park is pleased to announce a far-reaching relationship with one of the world's most renowned manufacturers. The school has joined forces with Ford Racing, and has been renamed the Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving.

The Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving utilizes Ford vehicles exclusively, featuring Ford Mustangs and the Ford GT supercar, and will offer a wide range of driving programs. It is the only Ford Racing-affiliated driving school in North America.

The entry-level school car is a Ford Mustang GT modified with Ford Racing Performance Packs, which include intake, exhaust, suspension, braking, steering and driveline modifications and are available through Ford Racing dealers nationwide. The cars are also fitted exclusively with BFGoodrich g-Force T/AKDWS high-performance street tires. The result is a stable, reliable and safe platform for students to learn the basics of high-performance driving.

The next step up in the Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving is the Mustang Challenge car. The Mustang Challenge is a Mustang GT with all the same modifications as the basic school car, lightened by 330 lb and fully outfitted for racing with such equipment as a data acquisition system, fire suppression system, removable steering wheel and more aggressive aerodynamics, plus BFGoodrich g-Force R1 DOT race tires. Miller Motorsports Park has created a Mustang Challenge series in its Miller Park Racing Association, as well as an innovative rental and leasing program for the racer who wants to arrive and drive. Alternatively, the Mustang Challenge car is available for outright purchase for $55,000.

The ultimate experience at the Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving is the Ford GT supercar. Ford's street-legal homage to the legendary Le Mans-winning Ford GT40s boasts 550 hp and a top speed over 200 mph. The Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving is the only training center in America that offers the Ford GT to students.

Heading up the Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving is Dan McKeever, a longtime professional racing driver with extensive experience in racing school instruction, primarily with the Fast Lane Racing School in Southern California and the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, S.C. The school's instructor staff includes Cindi Lux, a multi-time SCCA divisional champion and winner of the inaugural Women's Global GT Challenge; Ken Johnson, a longtime professional racer in both CART and IMSA and a former instructor at the Skip Barber Racing School; Gunnar Jeannette, a young star in international endurance racing with experience in the ALMS and Grand-Am Rolex Series; James Burke, a recent transplant from England with professional sports car racing experience and a past instructor at Silverstone.

The programs offered by the Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving are competitively priced and run the gamut from introductory to advanced. Programs include a two-hour Mustang Experience (brief classroom session and 10 laps in a school Mustang); one- two- and three-day programs (utilizing school Mustangs and Mustang Challenge cars); and Supercar School (utilizing school Mustangs, Mustang Challenge cars and the Ford GT). The Ford Racing School of High Performance Driving also offers a myriad of corporate programs, designed for both team-building and entertainment.

"We are very pleased to be able to announce this new relationship with Ford Racing," said Miller Motorsports Park CEO and General Manager Alan Wilson. "Ford has a very rich racing history, dating back to Henry Ford's original 'Sweepstakes' racer built in 1901 and encompassing every form of motorsport in the world. We are proud to be a part of that legacy and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship."

"Ford is thrilled with its relationship with Larry Miller and everyone at Miller Motorsports Park," said Jamie Allison, manager of the Ford Racing Performance Group. "Larry has displayed a great deal of personal support and commitment to building this world-class racing facility, and it's a terrific venue for us to showcase our full line of Ford Racing Mustangs and performance parts to race fans and enthusiasts."

The Mustang Challenge car will make its first debut in a professional setting with the inaugural "Magic of Miller" Celebrity Race, part of the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix Presented by The Grand and Little America Hotels, featuring the American Le Mans Series, on Friday, May 17, at 5:15 pm.

For more information on Miller Motorsports Park or the Ford Racing School of High-Performance Driving, telephone (435) 277-8000 or visit the track's website at www.millermotorsportspark.com. For more information on Ford Racing, visit their website at www.fordracing.com.

-credit: mmp