millers at the mile 2016

  

Two weekends ago I went to the annual Millers at the Mile event. I love to go to this event and see the old Indy cars out on the track and in the pits. The Harry Miller cars are simply amazing rolling sculpture. Harry Miller was an mechanical artist, Leo Goossen who designed the engines was an innovative engineer, and Fred Offenhauser created the physical castings through his extensive foundry knowledge. Even though the cars were often over budget due to Miller's desire to make the cars as aesthetically beautiful, the cars set a standard for performance. Literally the Miller cars dominated the Indy car sport from the 20's up until the 50's and the last Miller inspired cars still made the races into the 60's via Offenhauser and Meyer & Drake. Many of the developments that "Miller and crew" created are standard designs that we find on current race cars and civilian cars such as front wheel drive and all wheel drive. Check out the offset trannys, lightened components, offset cockpits, and front wheel drive cars (to get the rider lower in the body for lower center of gravity). I simply love and admire the craftsmanship of these cars. I hope I can build something half as cool as this someday.