Q & A with DJ Miller
By Kyle Jones
|
|
|
|
Kyle Jones: Tell me a little about yourself and your family.
DJ Miller: I am 43 years old and married to my high school sweetheart Barb.
We will be married 25 years this July.
Can you imagine being with a guy like me for that long!!!
She is a great woman, registered nurse at the Wooster Community hospital.
We have three kids. Jen, 24, currently attends OSU OptometrySchool.
Jason, 19, graduated from UTI (NASCAR Technical Institute) in Mooresville.
Jayla, 17, is a senior at Triway High School. She goes to
college in the morning and high school in the afternoon.
They are all good kids. I haven't killed any of them yet. Ha-ha
KJ: How many years have you been behind the wheel of a racecar?
DJ: I started racing in 1988 so that would make this my 20th year.
I started out at Lakeville and Wayne County.
I think they called us Chargers then switched
the name to Limited Late Models.
I think I got my first Super Late win in1998.
KJ: Tell me about your race car.
DJ: The car I have now is a 2005 Rocket.
I bought it brand new in 2005. Engine is a Malcuit 415.
I have no tire or shock deal so I run what I want.
The chassis is down at Rocket getting redone and powder coated,
the engine is at Malcuit and we're just waiting to get them back
and put her together and see what we can do.
It was a tough year last year and I'll be looking to get
back towards the front in 07, the Vindication Tour we may call it, Ha-ha.
KJ: Did you grow up around racing?
Tell me about your racing background.
DJ: My first memories of racing are watching my dad race Figure 8 at Ascot
Speedway in the late sixties. He got out of racing for a long time till I
talked him in to buying an Old 72 Nova in 1988.
We called her the "Iron Horse" and we raced that for a couple of years.
Dad then got his own Limited Late.
We had a lot of fun back then. There is nothing like racing on the
same track with dad. We weren't very fast but we had a lot of fun.
Time went on and my brother hooked up with dad and got a Modified that they ran
together. I stuck with the Late Models.
KJ: Do you have a nickname?
DJ: I'm sure I've been called a few by some other drivers
but none you can print in this article, Ha-ha. No, not really, just DJ.
KJ: Do you have a favorite track?
DJ: It has changed over the years. I'd say right now it would be Hilltop.
It's just as fun as any track I've been on. Lakeville is a lot of fun with the
new banking and Muskingum County is on the list. I love that track.
Wide and fast!!! Hell, I'd probably race in Dad's hay field
and have fun there too, Ha-ha.
KJ: What is your biggest accomplishment or biggest win?
DJ: The biggest race I ever made was a feature down at East Bay in 2004.
Mom anddad were there to see it.
I had a good qualifying run (11th out of 54) that
put us on the front row of a heat and we made the feature out of that.
Driver introductions, fireworks and door to door with some of the best in
the country, it was sweet. I'll never forget that. The motor got a little
warm and we pulled out while running around 13th or so.
I was holding my own.
Another accomplishment is having such great sponsors stay with me year
after year. I love my sponsors.
KJ: What sponsors are helping you out this season?
DJ: Digital Control Inc. Kent WA, Underground Tools Inc.
St. Paul MN, Underground Professionals Inc. Ashland OH,
Trenchless Technology Magazine Cleveland OH,
Melfred Borzall Santa Maria CA,
Trenchless Utility Equipment Burlington ON, Canada,
Barbco Canton OH,
True Environmental Mesa, CO
All these companies are in the Trenchless Technology Industry
thus we are the Trenchless Technology Race Team.
KJ: What are your plans for the 2007 racing season?
DJ: My plans for 07 are to stick around home.
There is a lot of great racing to be had within 20 miles of the house this year.
We hope to run Hilltop on a regular basis and move around on Saturday if I can.
We will also hit Muskingum County a few times for sure.
Another track I would like to hit this year is Rocky Top.
Man that was fun last year and great people down there too.
It is no secret I had a rough time last year, almost embarrassing
so I need to get my **it together or my act together would be more
politically correct. When I stick around home, I can race with my brother
and my dad and that puts a little more fun in to the deal. My brother was
running good at the end of last year so it will fun to watch him continue up
the ladder.
KJ: Do you have any other hobbies?
DJ: I'll play a little golf every now and then, poker some but mostly racing.
When you have this hobby there isn't much room for any others.
KJ: Is there anyone else you would like to thank?
DJ: Of course I've got to thank my sponsors.
What a great group of companies that support this car.
I'm proud to have every one of them.
Most of all I thank my dad for getting me started.
I think my brother would say the same.
We race because he raced. We not only race with him, we race for him.
I'd also like to thank Spud Myers for all the help he has given me in the past,
Kyle Figley, John Stone, Doug Drown put a body on for us last year and did a
great job, George Lee with Mason Racin, Ron Hamlin....man, I can't name them all.
Keep up to date with the Miller racing team at
http://www.djmillerracing.com/
|
|
|
