STAR IN SUPPORT OF DRIVEIT NQ

TOWNSVILLE Motogp star Jack Miller wants a new motorsport facility for Townsville.

Miller first hit the asphalt on his motorcycle on the city’s kart track. But that option has gone for any aspiring drivers after a court decision stopped other forms of motorsport on the track.

It’s why Miller is backing Driveit NQ, which will be a dedicated driver education and motorsport facility.

“We definitely need something up here in the North, with the closest at Proserpine … and that’s still not a proper racetrack for bikes,” he said.

“Having a facility like (this) makes it safer for everybody else because people have a legal place to do it under supervision and with help from trained professionals.”

Miller said it was a shame to see the option of the go kart track go but he understood why.

“With that change, there also should come change with another track,” he said.

Stage one of Driveit NQ, the driver education facility, has been funded but $18.5 million is needed for the motorsport facility.

Driveit NQ chairman Pat Driscoll said having Miller back the project was important.

“Someone like Jack is on the world stage in motorsport and he’s from Townsville … so not only is it important for people to see, it’s important for our group to realise that people like him do see the value in it,” he said.

“It motivates us when perhaps times are tough.”

The Motogp star said Townsville had passionate people who were into motorsport, so there was a demand for the facility.

“I think it will be good for the whole region in terms of hotels and things like that; people will travel,” Miller said.