Who is that guy?
He comes to the races with a small open trailer behind a sublime
four-door sedan. He does not have the look of a bikerı, but if
you look deep into his eyes as he stages his nine second Suzuki,
you see a burning intensity of a winning drag racer.
When J. Glenn Miller won the 1998 Federal-Mogul event a couple
of weeks ago in Boise, Idaho he introduced himself to Bob Frey at
the trophy presentations. ³Hi, Iım Glenn Miller² he said. ³You're
Miller?² Frey exclaimed (he had been announcing him all day, round
after round). ³Where the hell is Port Moody?² the veteran New Jersey
announcer laughed.
And thatıs just the way Miller likes it. He shuns the spotlight
and likes to be the guy in the background. While the spectators
and new competitors may not pay much attention to him, the veteran
racers sure do. Since beginning racing at Ashcroft in 1989, Miller
has captured a bunchı of Wallys and at least five championships
of various kinds.
In 1997 he parked the Suzuki with which he had so much success,
despite the fact he ran without wheelie bars. A new 1989 GSXR 1100
came along and he carried on like nothing had changed. It was the
first year he had decided to run for the NHRA Div. 6 Pro Sportsman
Motorcycle title. His new bike featured a stock motor, carbs and
air box, along with race wheels a slick, an extended swing-arm and
wheelie bars. A best of 9.74 at 134 mph makes it ³ pretty quick
for a stock bike². The season came down to a virtual tie in points
with perennial divisional hitter Brian Hudson and Miller. At the
final FMDRS event in September at Yakima Hudson lost in round one.
Miller went out one round short of claiming the title. Hudson had
already claimed two out-of-division races, Miller none, and now
he would have two chances to win just one round.
Thanks to early season concrete problems at Speedworld in Phoenix,
Miller would be able to run two late season FMDRS races in Arizona.
One round was not expected to be a huge problem, but in this sport
things are never easy. At Speedworld he fouled with a red light
in round one. He was back at Firebird a week later. Against the
two-time Div. seven champ in the first round. he missed a shift
³and that was it². Hudson won the division, and Miller was runner-up
in his first season on that circuit. He also managed to finish 3rd
on CMDRA Superbike points, and 3rd in MRP Sears/Craftsman series.
In between drag racing weekends Miller runs an internet company
called Mortimer Online. Among other things, they host the CMDRA
web site and soon a site for the Eagle Motorplex as well. Much of
this is done for little or no income, proving his dedication to
the sport.
Miller is now ready for the 98 season, with his first priority
to go for the Div. 6 title again. ³I used to think Yakima was a
long tow² he laughs. ³After last season Boise is just a pit stop
on the way to Phoenix.²
We wish J. Glenn all the best for 98. He started off well, and
you can bet heıll be in the thick of it come the fall.
epilogue – Miller went on to with the Division in
1998. LP
