Steve Millen
Encyclopedia
Steve Millen was a New Zealand
IMSA
racecar driver. In the 1970s and 1980s, Millen raced in hillclimbing
and Formula Ford
before doing stadium off-road racing
in the United States
in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group
(MTEG). He then began sports car racing
, winning numerous championships in IMSA Camel GT
. Millen won 20 races in the series, including the 24 Hours of Daytona
and the 12 Hours of Sebring
.
in 1969. He then moved to the Formula Ford
series. He started competing in rally cars
in the mid 1970s. He switched to off-road racing
in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group
(MTEG) stadium series in the early 1980s. He won the 1986, 1988, and 1989 Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Grand National Sports Truck Championships. He also won two Indy Lights races in the series' inaugural 1986 season.
Millen switched to the IMSA Camel GT
series in 1990. He was the 1990 24 Hours of LeMans Rookie of the Year. He won three races and took five pole positions in 1990. He had seven poles and five wins in 1991. He also drove for Allan Moffat Racing
in the 1991 Tooheys 1000
at Bathurst
, partnering Gary Brabham
in a Ford Sierra RS500 but the car did not finish the race. Millen expressed interest in returning by no offer was forthcoming with the Moffat team seeing the return of the cars builder Reudi Eggenberger in 1992 along with his ace driver Klaus Niedzwiedz
.
Millen won the 1992 IMSA GTS
championship in a Nissan 300ZX
Twin Turbo car. He won the 12 Hours of Sebring
and had top five finishes in the first four events before his 1993 season ended with injuries at Watkins Glen International
.
Millen returned in 1994, and won the IMSA GTS championship. He won the 1994 24 Hours of Daytona
and 12 Hours of Sebring
, and was first in class at the 24 Hours of LeMans.
In 1995, Millen won the 12 Hours of Sebring. He was invited to the International Race of Champions
(IROC). He was leading the IMSA GTS championship, when he had a professional career-ending crash at Road Atlanta
. He had competed in three of four IROC races.
Millen has the most all-time wins in IMSA GTS history with 20 victories. His 23 pole positions are also a series record. http://www.stillen.com/about_heritage2.aspx
He has had several wins in occasional appearances in various series since his retirement.
Millen also worked as a driver for commercials sometimes with Rod
and has appeared in a commercial for Honda, despite being under contract at the time to rival Nissan. He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild
as a stunt driver, which provided the healthcare he needed when he had his career ending crash.
, an after-market performance parts company specializing in Nissan vehicles in 1986. Millen has also been active in designing and engineering race cars for hill climbing, notably the Pikes Peak and Race to the Sky
hillclimb in Queenstown
, New Zealand.
became a legend at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
. Steve is the uncle of Rhys
and Ryan who both compete in motorsport events.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
IMSA
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
racecar driver. In the 1970s and 1980s, Millen raced in hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
and Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
before doing stadium off-road racing
Off-road racing
Off-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group
Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group
The Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group was a sanctioning body for an American off-road racing series that took place inside stadiums. Some events were televised, including on TNN and ESPN. -History:...
(MTEG). He then began sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
, winning numerous championships in IMSA Camel GT
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
. Millen won 20 races in the series, including the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
and the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
.
Racing career
Millen began his racing career in hillclimbingHillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
in 1969. He then moved to the Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
series. He started competing in rally cars
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
in the mid 1970s. He switched to off-road racing
Off-road racing
Off-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group
Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group
The Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group was a sanctioning body for an American off-road racing series that took place inside stadiums. Some events were televised, including on TNN and ESPN. -History:...
(MTEG) stadium series in the early 1980s. He won the 1986, 1988, and 1989 Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Grand National Sports Truck Championships. He also won two Indy Lights races in the series' inaugural 1986 season.
Millen switched to the IMSA Camel GT
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
series in 1990. He was the 1990 24 Hours of LeMans Rookie of the Year. He won three races and took five pole positions in 1990. He had seven poles and five wins in 1991. He also drove for Allan Moffat Racing
Allan Moffat Racing
Allan Moffat Racing was one of a number of names used for the Australian-based motor racing team fronted by multiple-championship winning Canadian-Australian racing driver Allan Moffat...
in the 1991 Tooheys 1000
1991 Tooheys 1000
The 1991 Tooheys 1000 was the 32nd running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 6 October 1991 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. The 1000 km race was held for cars complying with the provisions of Australian Group 3A Touring Car regulations with the field...
at Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, partnering Gary Brabham
Gary Brabham
Gary Brabham is a former professional racing driver from Australia and a British Formula 3000 champion.-Racing career:...
in a Ford Sierra RS500 but the car did not finish the race. Millen expressed interest in returning by no offer was forthcoming with the Moffat team seeing the return of the cars builder Reudi Eggenberger in 1992 along with his ace driver Klaus Niedzwiedz
Klaus Niedzwiedz
Klaus Niedzwiedz is a former professional race driver and motoring journalist.- Driver :His greatest success came in the 1980s, as a driver for Ford....
.
Millen won the 1992 IMSA GTS
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
championship in a Nissan 300ZX
Nissan 300ZX
The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped...
Twin Turbo car. He won the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
and had top five finishes in the first four events before his 1993 season ended with injuries at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
.
Millen returned in 1994, and won the IMSA GTS championship. He won the 1994 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
and 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
, and was first in class at the 24 Hours of LeMans.
In 1995, Millen won the 12 Hours of Sebring. He was invited to the International Race of Champions
International Race of Champions
International Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
(IROC). He was leading the IMSA GTS championship, when he had a professional career-ending crash at Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
. He had competed in three of four IROC races.
Millen has the most all-time wins in IMSA GTS history with 20 victories. His 23 pole positions are also a series record. http://www.stillen.com/about_heritage2.aspx
He has had several wins in occasional appearances in various series since his retirement.
Millen also worked as a driver for commercials sometimes with Rod
Rod Millen
Rodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
and has appeared in a commercial for Honda, despite being under contract at the time to rival Nissan. He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
as a stunt driver, which provided the healthcare he needed when he had his career ending crash.
Business career
He started StillenStillen
Stillen is the automotive aftermarket parts company created by Steve Millen, a former racecar driver for Nissan who was known for racing the 300ZX, in 1986. Stillen specializes in parts for Nissan cars, especially the "Z" line of cars...
, an after-market performance parts company specializing in Nissan vehicles in 1986. Millen has also been active in designing and engineering race cars for hill climbing, notably the Pikes Peak and Race to the Sky
Race to the Sky
The Silverstone Race to the Sky is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of a mountain. The race has been held every year since 1998 on two days over the Easter weekend...
hillclimb in Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
, New Zealand.
Racing family
Steve's brother Rod MillenRod Millen
Rodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
became a legend at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb , also known as The Race to the Clouds, is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado, a distance of over 156 turns, climbing from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway at on grades averaging 7% over...
. Steve is the uncle of Rhys
Rhys Millen
Rhys Millen , nephew of IMSA GTS driver Steve Millen, son of Rod and elder brother of Ryan, is one of the world's top competitors in drifting. Prior to that he was a top rally driver in the US, and became the first works backed driver from a car manufacturer with GM in 2004 after narrowly losing to...
and Ryan who both compete in motorsport events.