Beginning Dec. 26, Brett Miller’s kart will be on display for the following year at Daytona USA in Daytona, Fla., Miller, a North Greenville University junior, is being honored with the display after winning four of the World Karting Association’s five national kart races this year.
Winner – Brett Miller’s kart will be on display in 2006 at Daytona USA.Growing up near Lake Hartwell, Ga., Miller began racing as a hobby at 9 years of age with his dad at local tracks. Miller stayed at the local tracks for the next few years honing his skills as a kart driver.
His first break came at the age of 16, earning a sponsorship from Hi-Tech racing based in Greenville. Following the sponsorship, he moved to Greer in 2002. In 2003, he won a Georgia state championship. His climb continued in 2004, as he won two national championships. Now at the top of his game on the karting circuit, Miller is speaking with representatives from Rousch and Hendrix racing, two NASCAR teams. He hopes to move onto the next level of what has so far been an illustrious racing career.
“I want to do everything in kart racing before I move up,” Miller said. “You can get recognized (on the kart circuit). Most NASCAR drivers originated in the WKA.”
The kart circuit, stretching from Ohio to Florida, runs from the late spring until the fall. “We usually race three weekends each month during the regular season,” he said. “In the off season, we run less.”
The titles and recognition aren’t the only reasons for racing the kart circuit. “We do travel to some ‘money races,’ which pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000,” he said. “I raced in a $10,000 race in Florida; I led half of the race and ended up coming in third.” Miller split $50,000 in earnings with his sponsors last year. “It makes a nice part-time job.” In addition to the National Championships, Miller won a North Carolina state championship this year and two Georgia state championships in 2004.
Go karts – Brett Miller leads the pack of go karts around during a recent race. The NGU junior won four out of five World Karting Association races this year.Miller won WKA national races this year in four different classes: Stock Light, Limited Light, Animal and 4-cycle Medium. “There are about 15 classes that range from age divisions to modification differences,” he said. “Usually 40 to 50 racers try to qualify for a race, but only about 30 usually do,” said Miller. “It’s a pretty big deal.”
There are dangers involved, though.
“We race fifth- and quarter-mile dirt tracks. The karts run around 50-60 miles per hour on the fifth mile and push 80 on the quarter-mile tracks,” Miller said. “National races are only 20 laps, so at those speeds they go by quick, but some of the money races are 50 laps. There isn’t a harness system like in NASCAR, but it is a pretty tight fit in the kart – and it is safe, but I did see a guy get killed in a race,” he said.
Despite the dangers and the time away from home, Miller enjoys race weekends. “It’s really a family thing,” he said. “It’s really tight knit.” National races last the whole weekend, so they have a worship service on Sunday mornings at the track, Miller said. “It’s great to come together like that.”
Miller, a member at Taylors First Baptist Church, seeks to defuse the credit he may receive from his on-the-track accomplishments. “The Lord has really blessed me in this,” he said. “I want him to receive all the glory in anything that he allows me to do.”