Speedleague Announces Changes to Shootout @ Old Tucson
Signature event will now be a UTV-focused weekend on December 2 & 3.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2017(DENVER, CO) -- SPEEDLEAGUE announced today that they are shifting the focus of the Shootout @ Old Tucson race to solely feature UTVs. Taking place at the iconic old west theme park and film studio in Tucson, Arizona, the high-level off-road motorsport event was originally going to feature a top billing of off-road trucks. The event will now move to the weekend of December 2 & 3, 2017 to best implement the new concept.
The change is in response to an exploding UTV (a.k.a., side-by-side vehicles), market and an overwhelming amount of requests from sponsors and teams looking for a stand-alone signature event featuring UTV races in a short-course format. UTVs typically serve as the undercard for off-road truck racing events but the sharp increase in UTV sales has seen a spike in competition between brands and increased fan base, creating a need for a nationally televised UTV exclusive weekend.
“We always like to do new and exciting events in engaging settings,” says Brian Gale, CEO of Speedleague. “Considering the building energy in the UTV market we’ve concluded that the Shootout @ Old Tucson event offers the ideal opportunity and perfect setting for a unique UTV grand prix weekend.”
To accompany the UTV competitions, the event weekend will feature vendors, demonstrations and fan experiences related to UTV culture. There will also be entertainment on Saturday night.
“We’ve been urging the league to make these changes and fully support the concept of a UTV centric weekend,” says Pat O’Keefe, CEO of event sponsor Safecraft, a supplier of vehicle fire suppression systems. “We’re planning a push in the UTV space and view the Shootout @ Old Tucson event as the perfect platform to showcase the practicality of our products to UTV owners.”
Speedleague will construct a custom track designed specifically for UTVs; this is a big plus for the racers according to Tucson based competitor George Hammel. “Almost every off-road team has added UTVs to their program in the last year or two and we’re all itching to run them on a purpose built short track instead of a truck track.”
The off-season December weekend will also be a better fit for professional racers with busy schedules during racing’s regular season. “The move to the end of the year will make it more fun and gives it the chance to be a true shootout between the best drivers from a wide variety of racing. It should be a great mixture of legends and up-and-coming young guns,“ Hammel continues.
Terry Verhage, General Manager of Old Tucson, sees the change to feature UTVs as a positive move from an environmental standpoint. “Our desert community is always concerned with impacts to the environment and UTVs, with their lower noise levels and emissions, make a good fit for us,” explains Verhage.
Brent DeRaad, Chief Executive Officer for Visit Tucson, the region's tourism bureau and a sponsor of the event, supports the move as it puts the event back in the timeframe when more people are visiting Tucson. “This will really allow us to showcase all of the attractions in Pima County and provide for a much stronger economic return to the region,” he adds.
Tickets for The Shootout @ Old Tucson: UTV Grand Prix can be purchased athttps://www.tixr.com/groups/speedleague/events/shootout-old-tucson-4308
Current tickets purchased for the May races will be honored on the new date. To learn more about Speedleague, visitwww.speedleague.org.
ABOUT SPEEDLEAGUE:
Speedleague is an international motorsports organization founded in 2015 by Global Rallycross Championship creator Brian Gale. The League’s highly respected personnel have deep experience in event production, sports media and competition management in all major forms and levels of international motor racing. Activities for Speedleague include sanctioning and organizing E/RACING, a new electric powered rally car racing series, as well as white-label organizing, building venues and sanctioning races for ESPN X Games. Speedleague is based in Denver, Colorado, USA.www.speedleague.org
ABOUT OLD TUCSON:
Old Tucson, built in 1939 for the filming of the movie Arizona, is one of Arizona’s premiere attractions, with a colorful and storied history. It became one of the most filmed locations, resulting in more than 400 movie and TV projects. Today, the iconic property is still home to many filmmakers, and the park offers live entertainment, family activities and a taste of the old west, attracting visitors from all over the world. In partnership with the Arizona Sonora Western Heritage Foundation, Old Tucson provides innovative programs that highlight the history, heritage and cultures of the Arizona Sonora region.
www.oldtucson.com
SHOOTOUT @ OLD TUCSON: UTV GRAND PRIX MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mallory Benson, Speedleague
Email:[email protected]
Mary Davis, Old Tucson
Email:[email protected]