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Racing family shares their love of sport and God at Deerfield track
By Kim Hone-McMahan
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Sunday, Jun 07, 2009
Swirling dust engulfed the fans like a funnel cloud. As the dirt clung to their skin, moist from the humid air, the men, women and children squinted to see the cars zipping past the grandstand. They laughed and brushed the debris from their clothes. The roar, the smell, and yes, even the dust are all part of the fun at Deerfield Raceway.
Back in the pits, Paul Miller Jr. of Uniontown was getting ready to race his mod lite, a small car powered by a motorcycle engine. His parents own the track and though he doesn't win every week, he does well.
This was the first really warm weekend of the season and the track had been affected by some weather issues. Still, the regulars said every hot dog from western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia had brought his car tonight to race.
Paul Miller Sr. was in the scoring tower, his headphones only partially covering his ears. That way, he could hear both the people in the room and those who are talking to him from someplace around the quarter-mile dirt track.
His wife, Kay, was doing everything from cleaning the portable toilets to watching an instant replay.
The elder Miller and Kay love racing. So it seems only right that they first met at Barberton Speedway, back in 1967, when they were both 13 years old. Paul was there to watch his pop burn some rubber. Kay was there to see her brother race.
Paul Sr. started racing when he was about 17. That lasted for more than two dozen years, until he decided to quit to concentrate on helping his son with the sport.
Before his parents would allow the younger Miller to race, he had to finish college. As a result, their son works during the week as a structural engineer at the Arthur Louis Steel Co. in Ashtabula. On Saturday nights, he's behind the wheel of car No. 54.
''Jesus, Only One Name Saves,'' is printed on the front of his car, a reference to the Bible verse Acts 4:12.
It's a very public display that reveals the beliefs of the Miller racing family.
Before Paul and Kay bought the raceway in 2003, they prayed for guidance. Now, each night prior to the races, Paul Sr. starts the events with a prayer.
''Dear Lord: We thank you for this great nation we live in,'' he recently prayed, as patrons bowed their heads. ''Be with this place tonight and keep everyone safe and healthy. . . . And we surely will give you the praise.''
For fun, not money
The Randolph Township couple had hoped to make enough money at the track to help their son climb the ladder in the racing world. But the venture wasn't as profitable as they had hoped.
It costs a lot of money and manpower to keep the 30-acre facility in shape. There are also things like insurance, upkeep on the equipment, a mortgage, security, advertising and payouts (around $4,700 total) to the winners each week in six feature races. And the ailing economy means the crowd of spectators hasn't been as large as they would like. Still, that hasn't seemed to hinder the racers from coming.
On a recent Saturday evening, 94 cars participated in the races.
Wieners are still a buck and there's nothing stronger than root beer sold at the concession stands.
''If they would sell alcohol, they would make money,'' said Paul Jr. ''But that's not something we would do.''
Where there's booze, Kay explained, there can be trouble. Besides, the Millers want the raceway to be a place for families.
Though Paul Sr. and Kay own A-1 Auto & Spring, a salvage yard and car repair business in Alliance, much of their time is spent at the track.
The night before each race, they water the track to keep the dust down. The next day, they use a Sheepsfoot roller, a machine with studs on the drum that poke holes in the track so the ground will retain water.
At the south end of the track is a grassy area where people bring toys to entertain their children as they watch the races. That's generally where Paul Jr.'s wife, Emily, and their two sons can be found.
''I used to be scared to death to watch,'' Emily said, glancing out at the track. ''We saw someone die [at another area track], but he takes every precaution to remain safe. And this is a smaller track where the rate of speed is not as high.''
At the other end of the track, Charles Miller, Paul Jr.'s great-uncle, was watching his nephew. At 83, he doesn't race any longer. But around 1945, he used to race Hudsons and Packards inside the Akron Rubber Bowl.
The weather leading up to this recent Saturday night had been very dry. To put water deeper in the ground, the track had been dug up a bit, offering some challenges for drivers, including Paul Jr., who wasn't happy with his performance in a heat. So, prior to the final race, he made some adjustments.
In comparison with some tracks, the cars here are fairly inexpensive. Paul Jr., for instance, bought his used mod lite for $9,000. Cars in other divisions are generally cheaper. And a driver can race for as little as $20 — the cost of a pit pass.
''Our philosophy is to keep it economical for anyone who wants to race,'' Kay said.
When it was time for the feature race, Paul Jr. was slotted 12th of 26 spots. Though it was slippery, spectators still had to shield their eyes from the flying dirt. When a driver spun out (something that happened often), the cars slowed and waited for the debris to be cleared and the 15-lap race to continue.
So close were the cars to each other, some fans thought they were touching — something that a couple of annoyed racers argued about in the pit after the conclusion of the race.
In the end, 18 cars remained. Paul Jr. finished in the fifth spot.
''When the track gets that slippery, it's survival of the fittest,'' he joked, climbing out of his car.
Beyond the racing
Though the money they make from Deerfield Raceway hasn't generated enough to do what they had originally hoped, the Millers have no immediate plans to sell.
''We love racing, but it's more than that,'' Kay said. ''We've also made it our ministry.''
Something that was clear by a sign that hangs near the grandstand area.
''Racing is our thing, but Jesus is our King.''
Kim Hone-McMahan can be reached at 330-996-3742 or kmcmahan@thebeaconjournal.com.
Swirling dust engulfed the fans like a funnel cloud. As the dirt clung to their skin, moist from the humid air, the men, women and children squinted to see the cars zipping past the grandstand. They laughed and brushed the debris from their clothes. The roar, the smell, and yes, even the dust are all part of the fun at Deerfield Raceway.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Canton, OH
Posted 12:42 AM, 06/08/2009
YAWN. . .
Posted 07:32 PM, 06/10/2009
Thank you to Mrs. Hone-McMahan and to Paul Tople for comming to Deerfield Raceway and letting people know there is a good local track where they can bring their families for a nice night out. The racers appriciate Paul and Kay very much and it's nice to see them get recognized for their for their efforts. They give us racers a nice place to come and enjoy the sport we love and they have a lot of fun things for the kids to enjoy as well. Thanks to Paul and Kay and all the track help for taking their time on a saturday night to make our saturday night an enjoyable one. And I hope more people will visit the track and enjoy themselves also. There are great events for the kids and Wild Women on Wheels races also. Bring the family , go to Deerfieldraceway.com for the schedule.
