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| Donington Park track owner dies | Donington Park track owner dies |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Donington Park motor racing track owner Tom Wheatcroft has died after a long illness, his spokesman has confirmed. | Donington Park motor racing track owner Tom Wheatcroft has died after a long illness, his spokesman has confirmed. |
| Mr Wheatcroft, who was 87 years old, bought Donington for £100,000 in 1971 and restored the circuit. | |
| He brought the European Grand Prix to the site in 1993, an event widely remembered as one of the late Ayrton Senna's best races. | He brought the European Grand Prix to the site in 1993, an event widely remembered as one of the late Ayrton Senna's best races. |
| But last week hopes to hold the British Grand Prix there were dashed when site redevelopers failed to raise the cash. | But last week hopes to hold the British Grand Prix there were dashed when site redevelopers failed to raise the cash. |
| Martin Whitmarsh, principal for Formula One team McLaren Mercedes, said Mr Wheatcroft had made a massive contribution to motorsport in Britain. | |
| "The term 'legend' is maybe used a little too liberally in the world of sport, but without doubt it is justified in the case of Tom Wheatcroft. | |
| "He was a larger-than-life character and an always-engaging conversationalist. He was also an able and successful businessman who contributed a lot more than many people perhaps appreciate to the story of motorsport in Britain. He will be very much missed." | |
| Mr Wheatcroft's interest in motor racing was sparked in the 1930s when he would watch races at Donington, his local track. | Mr Wheatcroft's interest in motor racing was sparked in the 1930s when he would watch races at Donington, his local track. |
| He went on to build up a successful property business and when the estate fell into disrepair, after being used as a World War II Army base, he restored the track to its former glory. | |
| The father-of-seven rebuilt the circuit and amassed the largest collection of motor racing cars in the world at the site. | The father-of-seven rebuilt the circuit and amassed the largest collection of motor racing cars in the world at the site. |
| In 2007 he agreed a 150-year lease of the land on which the circuit and Donington Grand Prix Exhibition museum are sited to Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd. | In 2007 he agreed a 150-year lease of the land on which the circuit and Donington Grand Prix Exhibition museum are sited to Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd. |
| It was Donington Ventures which failed to raise the cash to upgrade the track so that the British F1 Grand Prix could be staged there. | It was Donington Ventures which failed to raise the cash to upgrade the track so that the British F1 Grand Prix could be staged there. |