CHECKERED FLAG.(Larry H. Miller)(Obituary)

- LARRY MILLER DIES

THE FEB. 20 DEATH OF LARRY H. Miller, from complications of diabetes, was a major blow to the state of Utah. Miller, who was 64, owned a chain of 39 car dealerships as well as the NBA's Utah Jazz and was one of the state's most generous donors to charitable causes.

But those who know of Miller only through his motorsports efforts-most notably his Miller Motorsports Park road course near Salt Lake City-should also be aware that his love for racing resulted in one of the finest, no-expenses-spared tracks in the world.

The 4.5-mile road course, the longest in the country, originally had a total budget of $5 million, which, as it turned out, barely covered the construction of the huge, 22,000-square-foot, glass-fronted clubhouse. Miller, determined to make his track world-class, spent close to $100 million, hiring internationally known track architect Alan Wilson to design and manage the facility and Wilson's wife, Desire, a former Formula One driver, to help run a driving school. Miller's car collection-heavy on Ford products in general, Shelby vehicles in particular-is located on the grounds.

According to one employee, Miller asked the track's staff to manage the facility only to the point where it paid its own way on a daily basis. He knew he would never get back the $100 million, but he wanted to leave Utah and the racing world something special.

The track opened in 2006 and this year hosts the FIM Superbike World Championship, an American Le Mans Series race and a Grand-Am race, as well as multiple other national and local series.

ANOTHER LE MANS SERIES