ALLEN GREGORY
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Alex Miller made a life-changing turn at age 34.
“I just decided to go racing and haven’t looked back,” Miller said. “This is the most fun you will ever have.”
Over the past eight years, the 41-year-old Erwin, Tennessee, resident has competed at tracks in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and even posted a top-ten run at Myrtle Beach Speedway before it closed in 2020.
His current base is Kingsport Speedway.
“We’ve always been here and there around the sport,” Miller said. “I had a great uncle (Oscar Wilson) who worked in the NASCAR Cup series with drivers like G.C. Spencer and we used to sponsor Late Model drivers like Wayne Hale and Kres VanDyke.”
Instead of developing his car control skills in an entry level division, Miller jumped right a Limited car before taking one step up to the featured Late Model class.
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“I’ve been running Late Models for the past six years,” Miller said. “I’m not saying that I’m better than the average racer, but I took to it pretty fast.”
There is a twist to this story.
Consider that one of Miller’s Late Model rivals at Kingsport is his father, Alan.
“Oh man, that is a blast that I can’t describe,” Alex said. “He’s my dad, and he’s also my best friend. We hang out every day during the week at work and race together on the weekend.”
That workplace is Miller’s Auto and Towing Service in Erwin.
Do the Millers turn their Late Model adventures into fodder for workplace bragging points?
“Not really,” Alex said. “We just approach every race as something fun we can do together. We’re not looking to move up in the sport or anything. I’m way too old for that and not very marketable. This is all for fun.”
Father and son perform the maintenance on their cars. Veteran short track racers and mechanics Kirby Gobble (Abingdon) and Wade Day (Elizabethton) handle the race-night setups.
Alex knows competition. He played third base for legendary baseball coach Charlie Baxter at Unicoi County High School in Erwin before cracking his skull in an accident.
“I wasn’t able to play anymore after the injury and it turned out to be the year my group went to the state tournament, so I missed out on that,” Miller said. “I’ll always remember those hard practices with Coach Baxter.”
Long hours and multi-tasking have never been a problem for Alex and his father. They owned a trucking company for 38 years.
Alex accepts the title of “working man’s racer.”
“I’ve had to be that way,” Alex said. “I’ve worked since I was young and that’s how I stay in shape for Kingsport. This is a hard track and it wears you out, especially after 40 laps.”
One of the motivators for Alex at Kingsport is Late Model regular Brad Teague. The Johnson City native competed in 44 NASCAR Cup, 241 Xfinity and nine Truck races from 1982-2015.
“I’ve known Brad for years and he’s one of my heroes,” Miller said. “I like Brad’s upbeat attitude and approach to the sport. I just hope that I can still wheel a race car when I’m in my 70’s like Brad does.”
The rich history of concrete-coated Kingsport Speedway is an appeal to Miller and many of the track regulars.
“So many great racers have run here,” Miller said. “I remember guys like Joey Logano, Harry Gant, John A. Utsman, Dick Trickle and Trevor Bayne. If you can run well at Kingsport Speedway, you can race at any track in the country.
“We’ve only won three or four times, but I’ve run consistently in the top five here and at every track I’ve been to.”
According to Alex, Kingsport strikes the right balance between high-level competition and cost-containment.
“My father and I have done well later in life, but there’s no way we could have afforded to race like this when I was younger,” Miller said. “It’s sad to look at how the CARS Tour is fueling astronomical prices in Late Model racing with $20,000 motors and $10,000 worth of suspension and shock packages and bump stops.
“Those kinds of things are making it to where the working person can’t afford to do this on a weekly basis, unless they are really good at trading and hustling.”
For now, it’s Miller time at Kingsport Speedway.
“The Kingsport, Bristol and Johnson City area has produced a bunch of great drivers, mechanics and car owners over the years,” Miller said.
“We grew up helping people work on race cars, and now it’s awesome to actually be out here racing on Friday nights.”
WYTHE RACEWAY: Action is scheduled for Saturday night with competition in nine divisions, including 602 Late Models and Super Street.
The July 20 program was cancelled due to rain.
LONESOME PINE MOTORSPORTS PARK: Saturday’s program will include seven divisions, including Sportsman.
MUDDY CREEK RACEWAY: The Hot Summer Nights Supercross series returns Saturday.
Bristol competitors Dustin Norman (Veteran Warrior), Zach Carter (450C) and Andrew Delph (Unlimited D) earned wins last week at I-81 Motorsports Park in Greeneville, Tennessee.
BRISTOL DRAGWAY: The DER Bracket Series is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
KINGSPORT SPEEDWAY: Following a two-week break, the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series program resumes on Aug. 2.
[email protected] — Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports (276) 645-2544
[email protected] | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544
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Publish date : 2024-07-27 00:30:00
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