Olen McGuire
05-29-2009, 11:31 AM
ROGER MILLER
by Jerry Lee McGuire
Roger Miller started his racing career in 1947 running Roadsters at Englewood Speedway and Midgets on the circuit. He earned the nickname “Hot Foot” early on in his career, but not by the way he wheeled a race car. The story goes that his Midget had caught fire, and after escaping and helping others put out the blaze, someone noticed that Roger was on fire from the knees down!
When Stockers became a way of life at Englewood in 1951, Roger was one of the first. He won the State Championship in 1953, then went on to become track champion in 1954 at Englewood Speedway with the Rocky Mountain Stock Car Racing Association.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=65&pictureid=449
(J.L.M. collection)Roger Miller stands next to his trademark blue and white #60 Stocker in 1953.
Note that the running boards and partial front fenders are still attached to this race car.
Roger earned the nickname “Chrome Dome” later in his career after then track announcer Andy Anderson noticed that the hair on Roger’s head was getting a bit sparse. Roger’s only superstition was not shaving on race day. “I’ve whiskered many trophy girls!” he was known to say with a laugh.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=65&pictureid=450
(J.L.M. collection) Roger Miller picks up another win at Englewood in the late ‘50’s.
It’s said that he used the same car for nine racing seasons.
Roger retired from racing in 1959, well, sort of. He was still an active member of the Rocky Mountain Dwarf Car Racing Association when he passed away on July 19, 2004.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=65&pictureid=451
(Photo by J. L. McGuire) Here’s a shot of Roger Miller’s last race car from 2004, still sporting his
trademark blue and white colors. Note “Old Man Moz” painted on the hood. Looks like Roger
inherited yet another nickname in his career.
Veteran driver Joe Lehman once noted that Roger Miller was probably one of the best dirt drivers there was.
by Jerry Lee McGuire
Roger Miller started his racing career in 1947 running Roadsters at Englewood Speedway and Midgets on the circuit. He earned the nickname “Hot Foot” early on in his career, but not by the way he wheeled a race car. The story goes that his Midget had caught fire, and after escaping and helping others put out the blaze, someone noticed that Roger was on fire from the knees down!
When Stockers became a way of life at Englewood in 1951, Roger was one of the first. He won the State Championship in 1953, then went on to become track champion in 1954 at Englewood Speedway with the Rocky Mountain Stock Car Racing Association.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=65&pictureid=449
(J.L.M. collection)Roger Miller stands next to his trademark blue and white #60 Stocker in 1953.
Note that the running boards and partial front fenders are still attached to this race car.
Roger earned the nickname “Chrome Dome” later in his career after then track announcer Andy Anderson noticed that the hair on Roger’s head was getting a bit sparse. Roger’s only superstition was not shaving on race day. “I’ve whiskered many trophy girls!” he was known to say with a laugh.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=65&pictureid=450
(J.L.M. collection) Roger Miller picks up another win at Englewood in the late ‘50’s.
It’s said that he used the same car for nine racing seasons.
Roger retired from racing in 1959, well, sort of. He was still an active member of the Rocky Mountain Dwarf Car Racing Association when he passed away on July 19, 2004.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=65&pictureid=451
(Photo by J. L. McGuire) Here’s a shot of Roger Miller’s last race car from 2004, still sporting his
trademark blue and white colors. Note “Old Man Moz” painted on the hood. Looks like Roger
inherited yet another nickname in his career.
Veteran driver Joe Lehman once noted that Roger Miller was probably one of the best dirt drivers there was.