Hoyt Miller is not your typical rookie in the deep and talented pool of drivers in the Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B-Mod division at Lucas Oil Speedway. Miller is displaying talent well beyond his years on his way to a likely top-five finish in season points.

The 14-year-old from Cross Timbers enters Saturday’s Rempfer Family Season Championship Presented by Bill Roberts Chevrolet as one of the breakout drivers of 2024. He’s won a pair of B-Mod features at Monett Speedway with a season-high fifth-place at Lucas Oil Speedway on July 27.

“I think it’s gone pretty good,” Miller said of his first full-time season in a B-Mod at Lucas Oil Speedway. “We’ve had a couple of bad finishes, which were my fault a little bit, but so far it’s gone really well. A lot better than I thought it was going to be.”

It’s been almost a year since Miller caught the eye of one of the Ozarks’ top veteran drivers and car builders. Tony Jackson Jr. out of Lebanon, a two-time Lucas Oil MLRA Late Model Series champion, put Miller in the familiar Jackson No. 56 after watching him at last fall’s Summit USRA Nationals.

Miller was driving his family owned B-Mod after moving up from an economy modified division and wasn’t having the greatest results at the USRA Nationals. Jackson said he knew the Miller family a little bit and offered to lend a hand in the pits, but was impressed that when he checked out the Miller work area that young Hoyt was fully engaged in working on the car.

“During the USRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway, my wife Krissy and I were walking through the pits, and we noticed that every time we walked past Hoyt Miller’s pit area that he was elbows deep working on his race car,” Jackson said. “For a 13-year-old he not only has driving ability, but he also has a strong work ethic, and I’m all about that.

“I was talking to my wife and we were wanting to start something,” Jackson said of putting a young driver into a J2 Race Cars B-Mod chassis. “I know when I was racing my dad helped me get into it. That was something we wanted to do. We’ve been fortunate to have good sponsors and a good racing career.

“I’m hopefully nowhere near the end of my racing career, but at the same time my little girl is 11 and is getting older. I haven’t raced as much this year and I just wanted to give back a little bit. He’s who we picked to do it.”

Hoyt Miller said he was “surprised” by the offer, knowing that Jackson could have picked any number of other young drivers for the opportunity.

“But they decided for it to be me. I felt really good about that and I thank them a lot for my success this season,” Miller said, adding that Jackson’s best advice was to make this a learning year.

“Just stay calm and let everything play out,” he said of Jackson’s advice. “Don’t put your nose somewhere it shouldn’t be and don’t tear up the car. Just drive smart and don’t be stupid on the race track.”

Miller has six top-10 finishes in 10 attempts at Lucas Oil Speedway and is in position to finish no worse than fifth in points. The pair of wins at Monett were a pleasant bonus. Jackson said the first season couldn’t have played out much better.

“He’s done very well. He’s definitely coming along and he takes the good with the bad,” Jackson said. “He stays focused and knows he’s learning, but also knows that he’s talented and has a fast car. It kind of goes together.

“I told him that we just wanted to learn and be competitive this year and he’s already won two races. He’s definitely already surpassed our goals.”

Miller, who began racing go-karts at six years old, grew up around the sport and at Lucas Oil Speedway. His dad, Andrew Miller, often helped Evan and J.D. Hubert of Cross Timbers with their racing programs and young Hoyt paid close attention.

He’s attended several Show-Me 100s with a favorite memory being Scott Bloomquist winning a B-Main on three wheels in 2018 after breaking his left front wheel early in the race.

Now that he’s driving on the Wheatland oval, Miller said it’s been a learning process.

“I finally figured out myself how to run the top a lot better,” Hoyt Miller said. “Different tracks, there’s different lines you have to run. Lucas is more of a bottom-dominant race track and we can be a little looser there and still be faster.”

Hoyt said he takes mental notes while following some of the veteran B-Mod drivers during races. He used Jon Sheets as an example.

“Jon Sheets, you can tell if he’s lifting in the corner or what-not,” Miller said. “I can watch that so I can base my driving style off his that night.”

Miller said he keeps the car most weeks to do the normal, weekly maintenance. They’ll take it to J2 headquarters if there’s more-significant work to be done, but Jackson said it’s important for Miller to prep the car otherwise.

“If there is no issues and it's a weekly maintenance deal, we make him do it.” Jackson said. “That way he learns.”

It’s the same with race-night education. Jackson said he attends the races when he can to offer advice, but otherwise it’s all up to Miller.

“We went the first race of the year and took in a test session and a couple of more races with him,” Jackson said. “He learns. We give him advice and he follows through immediately. He’s a quick learner. He’s doing really good and his future is bright.”

With the regular season at Lucas Oil Speedway finishing up Saturday, Miller still has a goal of winning a race at Wheatland. With school starting, it’s going to be a busy fall as he plays linebacker for the football team. Friday nights will be iffy for racing once football games begin, but he plans to keep racing somewhere on Saturday and Sunday nights, with the Summit USRA Nationals, Sept. 17-21, also circled on his racing calendar.

“Our goal is to see if I can get a win at USRA Nationals or this coming weekend at Lucas,” he said. “Our car has been really good and I think we can finally get one there.”

J.C. Morton has clinched the USRA B-Mod track championship as he's 141 points in front of Logan Smith with Trevor Drake 153 behind. Milller is 30 points behind Drake and 13 in front of fifth-place Jaylen Wettengel.

The Miller/Jackson team sponsors, in addition to TJR Motorsports and J2 Race Cars, include Close Racing Supply, Norris Logging, Dynamic Drivelines, All-Star Performance, Wildwood Brakes, Earnest Performance, Elite Auto Complex, Elite Trailers, Eagle Machine and A2Z Signs.

Track champions will be crowned in all four divisions Saturday night in a program named to honor Harold "Rowdy" Rempfer and his wife, Julia, who were killed in an automobile accident six years ago. Rowdy was the mayor of Wheatland and he and Julia both worked at Lucas Oil Speedway.

Pit gates open at 4 p.m. with grandstands at 4:30, hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.

Final Kids' Power Wheel race at intermission: The final Kids' Power Wheel races of the season will be held during intermission with the season champion also named for the youngsters. Morrow Sheets has the most wins this season and a podium finish (top three) will clinch the championship.

Youngsters ages 5-12 can bring their own battery-powered cars to the RCR Designs Jr Fan Club sign-in or drop them at the pit gates and they will be brought to the front stretch at intermission.

Kids' Pit Tour: Flagman Mike Striegel also will lead a Kids' Pit Tour prior to the races. Those interested can sign up at the RCR Designs Jr Fan Club table before 5:15 p.m. for a chance to go on the tour.

Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and grandstands at 4:30 with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.

Driver Meet & Greet: A Drivers' Meet and Greet also will be held on the south end of the midway from 4:30-5:45 p.m. on Saturday. Drivers will display their cars on the midway, sign autographs and be available for photos and to talk with fans.

Saturday admission:
Advance Discount Tickets online only (13 and up) - $12
Adults (13 and up) - $15
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $12
Youth (6-12) - $5
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $35
Pit Pass - $35

Camp site reservations for USRA Nationals: Those interested in camp sites for the Summit USRA Nationals, Sept. 17-21, should contact the Lucas Oil Speedway office at (417) 282-5984 for pricing and more information.

For ticket or camping information on any Lucas Oil Speedway event, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or email nmcmillan@lucasoilspeedway.com.

For information about Lucas Oil Speedway, including schedules, point standings and other news, visit lucasoilspeedway.com.

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