Swift signs up and the race is on

AUSTIN, TEXAS — With the promise of blue skies and some sizzling pop from Taylor Swift, the U.S. Grand Prix is back after all those worries about its demise.

There’s even a gripping title chase on the track, too.

The future of the race at the Circuit of the Americas was in question for months after the 2015 version was swamped by torrential rains that chased away crowds and nearly cost Formula One the entire weekend.

The weather cleared just long enough for Lewis Hamilton to win in a wild finish and claim his third championship.

Within days, race promoters warned they had taken a devastating financial hit and there were fears that the lone F1 race in the U.S. would move elsewhere.

Yet here it is, and F1 is ready to ready to run in America for a fifth consecutive year, an important milestone for the series’ long-term survival in a nation where NASCAR remains king to motorsports fans.

“The race is on,” said former Formula One champion Mario Andretti.

“This event is established and that’s very important, and very good.”

After last year’s struggles saw fans slogging through ankledeep mud, race organizers knew they needed some punch this year to bring them back. The U.S. Grand Prix has seen declining attendance every year since its debut and saw a chunk of fans leeched away by the 2015 debut of the Mexican Grand Prix, which runs the week after the Austin race.

Circuit of the Americas President Bobby Epstein, who admits the race was in “great jeopardy” in early 2016, reached for a pop star and got one of biggest when Swift signed on for a Saturday night show at the track after qualifying. A three-day general admission ticket gains entry to the racing, the Swift concert and a Sunday night post-race concert with Usher and The Roots.

It’s a move Epstein hopes will boost race weekend attendance, and be a window into Formula One for a new generation of fans who may not know much about racing. Last year, Elton John played the Sunday night after the race. If fans of Swift, Usher and The Roots decide to watch the race, everyone wins, Epstein said.

It’s a formula that will be closely watched by Formula One’s new ownership group, U.S.-based Liberty Media, which announced last month it would buy the series for $4.4 billion.