DONINGTON Park has officially reopened for car racing – and the owner says the track has "unfinished business".

Kevin Wheatcroft was at the circuit yesterday for the qualifying sessions of this weekend's Master Historic Racing event – the Donington Revival.

The event comes a year after the track was closed after its bid to host the Formula One British Grand Prix. collapsed.

Mr Wheatcroft's father, Tom, rebuilt Donington in the 1970s but died last year.

His son, who has led the second rebuilding of the track, said: "It's been quite a struggle to get it up and open in time, but we've had tremendous support. Fingers crossed it's all going to run smoothly this weekend. I'm sure Dad would have been overjoyed."

Mr Wheatcroft said the majority of races had been lost from the track as a result of it being shut.But he was hopeful events would start to return.

And he said he would love to see Formula One back one day, even though rival Silverstone now has a 17-year deal to host the British Grand Prix.

He said: "I would be lying if I said I didn't want it. I would love to see it here. I feel like we have unfinished business."

"For now, it's our intention to revisit what we have lost and see if we can get events back."

Mr Wheatcroft said he did not hold any grudges against former track leaseholder Simon Gillett, who was in charge of the failed F1 bid – hit by a lack of cash after backers pulled out of £100 million revamp plans.

"A lot of it was due to the financial times we were in," said Mr Wheatcroft. "Had he attempted what he did a year or 15 months earlier, he may have been successful. His intentions were in the right place. I actually liked the guy and got on well with him. But I've had no contact since."

Now the £2 million rebuild of the track up to standard has been completed, the next stage is to upgrade facilities like toilets and catering. Step three might include a hotel and leisure facilities.

Donington hosted a Classic Racing Motorcycle Club meeting last month, but today is the first time cars have raced on the reopened track.

Christopher Tate, series director of Masters Historic Racing, said: "Donington Park occupies a very special place in the hearts of all true motor-racing fans and it is fabulous to have it back on the racing calendar."

The next event is the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship on September 18 and 19, with the National Truck Racing Championships the following weekend.