Obscure 500 entrant, Eddie Miller, update

[happyscrappy-t]

Saw this on FB on a group for a long closed Denver racetrack:

I retired and moved from North Denver to San Carlos, Mexico...I recently met a guy named Fast Eddie Miller. He lives on a sailboat in the San Carlos Bay. He told me he raced at Lakeside, but his claim to fame is a crazy crash at the Indy 500 in 1976. Anyone remember Fast Eddie Miller? Here's the crash
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6...DOD7V8OVAgj9f8

This would have been before my time, but growing up in the Colorado racing world in the 80's and 90's I had never heard of Eddie Miller, and though I've seen the crash video before, I had no idea he was from Colorado.

[senorsoupe]

I remember the name from this video, at 1:55 Eddie Miller is mentioned along with the caption of "I'll be back next year"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzObdx16Tq8

[WIBCRacing]

It’s too bad that Mike Thomsen is no longer a member, he talked to Eddie Miller on the phone for about 30 minutes last year, It’s really a cool story about what happened to bring the two of them together to talk. And he talked to Eddie Miller about his career and why it ended. It’s a worthwhile story.

He was going to tell the story on TOGA one night last year but the show was running over and never got to it.

[Stick500]

If his crash would have happened on race day he probably would have pegged a few photographers on his trip towards the tree.

[tmorris]

The crazy thing is that in Champ Car Stats --- Miller entered only 1 race in his career --- the 1976 Indy 500. His history as a driver says "1976 Indy 500 -- DNQ crashed in practice"
That's it! "Thanks for coming Eddie."

[Speedbump64]

I remember that crash. Still amazed he missed the tree.

[dalz]

I'm surprised it took so long to build an insiide wall that was parallel to the track in the south chute. Somebody could've hit the wall protecting the tunnel almost head-on. It was finally in place for 1977(?). It possibly saved Dick Ferguson's life in his 1980 crash. He was headed for a Miller-like trajectory, if not straight for the tunnel abutment.

[The JP]

I once used Eddie Miller's accident to end a "Road Racers versus Oval Trackers" argument. The gentleman in question was blathering on about how easy Indy was and how much of an advantage the road racers had skill wise (this was a couple of years after Miller's accident so it wasn't as true as it is now) over the oval trackers. I simply replied that I seemed to remember accomplished road racer Eddie Miller jumped a ditch, cleared two fences and almost stuck his brand new Eagle into a tree...on his first hot lap. IIRC, the conversation ended there.

[DaveL]

I once used Eddie Miller's accident to end a "Road Racers versus Oval Trackers" argument. The gentleman in question was blathering on about how easy Indy was and how much of an advantage the road racers had skill wise (this was a couple of years after Miller's accident so it wasn't as true as it is now) over the oval trackers. I simply replied that I seemed to remember accomplished road racer Eddie Miller jumped a ditch, cleared two fences and almost stuck his brand new Eagle into a tree...on his first hot lap. IIRC, the conversation ended there.

Rich Vogler crashed after losing control on a warm up lap in 1983.

Let's have more fun with small sample sizes.

[Count Tracula]

Of utility would be a discussion about Gordon Smiley and the "superiority" and skills of road racers over oval trackers at IMS during that late 70's/early 80's era. Of utility it would be.

[DaveL]

Of utility would be a discussion about Gordon Smiley and the "superiority" and skills of road racers over oval trackers at IMS during that late 70's/early 80's era. Of utility it would be.

Why would be "of utility"? He made a mistake other drivers had made before. Physics took over from there. If the accident was simply a wall slapper, which if not for another half turn it would have been, it would have been just another accident.

Jim Malloy and Art Pollard made mistakes and lost control of their cars, too.

All of this proves nothing.

[The JP]

Rich Vogler crashed after losing control on a warm up lap in 1983.

Let's have more fun with small sample sizes.

Yes, thanks DaveL, just recounting a conversation I had many years ago that brought up the name Eddie Miller that I thought some might find humorous. My intent was not to ressurrect the old road racers vs oval trackers dead horse.

[DaveL]

Yes, thanks DaveL, just recounting a conversation I had many years ago that brought up the name Eddie Miller that I thought some might find humorous. My intent was not to ressurrect the old road racers vs oval trackers dead horse.

I appreciate that. I'd rather not rehash it either.

[JThur1]

Of utility would be a discussion about Gordon Smiley and the "superiority" and skills of road racers over oval trackers at IMS during that late 70's/early 80's era. Of utility it would be.

Only so long as it doesn't involve or isn't based on braggadocious comments that Smiley allegedly made, that have been rather soundly proven as false. Not that it has stopped that myth from having a life of its own.

[Count Tracula]

Why would be "of utility"? He made a mistake other drivers had made before. Physics took over from there. If the accident was simply a wall slapper, which if not for another half turn it would have been, it would have been just another accident.

Jim Malloy and Art Pollard made mistakes and lost control of their cars, too.

All of this proves nothing.

You do not understand the incident. And it has nothing to do with Gordon's mouth.