Gone Racin’…With Ak
Miller
Written by Richard N. Parks
Ak Miller
is a legend among racers. Which means that he doesn’t need to embellish
his exploits, for we do that for him. Ak’s done about everything
a racer wants to do. He’s raced the dry lakes, Bonneville Salt Flats,
Pike’s Peak Hill Climb and road races in Italy and Mexico. Elected
President of the SCTA (Southern California Timing Association) and Vice
President of the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), and a member of the
Dry Lakes Hall of Fame, Ak has his share and more of auto racing honors.
Yet he is more than just an award winner, elected official or quick and
speedy racer. It’s the twinkle in his eye, entrancing smile, ready
wit and charisma that gets you off balance and makes you fair game for
this lively and charming fellow. Stories and tales surround him,
and grow larger and more complex with the years. This has given rise
to a colloquial expression, “that’s Ak”, meaning a story bunyunesque or
too far fetched to be true. But those who say this are mistaken for
he has never had to create a tale; he has lived a life many of us only
dream of.
Born Akton Moeller,
in Denmark, eighty-one years ago, his family immigrated to Southern California
when he was just a small child. He worked in various garages as a
youth and for Hannah Nixon, in their store in Whittier, back in the 1930’s.
Ak remembers seeing Richard Nixon studying at the old secretary desk in
the store, and asking Ak to bring him a candy bar and to “help yourself
as well.” RMN was already a practiced politician! Years later,
when visiting the White House as a member of a racing contingent, Ak found
himself teased and everyone doubted that he had ever known the President.
Nixon strode in and grasped the hand of his old friend and said, “Ak, did
you bring me a candy bar?”
He followed
his brothers, Lawrence (Old Dad) and Zeke, to the dry lakes in the 1930’s,
and began a love affair with racing that lasts to this day. He was
a charter member of the Roadrunners, one of the original car clubs that
absorbed the remnants of the Muroc Timing Association, and formed it into
the storied SCTA, in December of 1937. Ak raced whatever was available,
even an old derelict model T that was abandoned in the desert. He
would remove the battery after racing the old heap, and was always surprised
to find it still there when he returned for the next meet. It didn’t
set any records, but it gave his car club valuable points toward the season’s
championship trophy.
Ak had wanted
to join the Army Air Corp during WWII, but was transferred to the
Army and sent to Europe to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. Surrounded,
in freezing weather, with no support, he was forced to fight merely to
stay alive. He came upon a German officer cooking a steak, cut from
the flank of a dying cow, and so overcome by hunger, one having food and
the other without, that they shot at each other for the food’s sake.
Ak was quicker that day, winning the steak and a prisoner. He was
less fortunate when frostbite ended his war and sent him back to England,
unsure whether they would amputate his feet.
Returning from
the war, Ak rejoined the SCTA and served as it’s President, and with his
close friend and fellow Roadrunner’s club member, Wally Parks, served as
Vice President of the newly formed NHRA. But his heart was in Land
Speed Racing and he returned to Bonneville, where over the years, the Miller/Lufkin/Carr
team set and reset hundreds of records. In 1953-54, Miller campaigned
a modified T-roadster in the Mexican Road Race. Quick on the turns
and curves in the mountains, the little roadster would give up its lead
in the straight-aways, but still placed 8th in 1953 and 5th in 1954.
Miller left his garage in
the 1960’s to work for Ford, and run in the Mobil Economy Runs. He
was a terror at the Pike’s Peak Hill Climbs, winning nine times in his
class, with Ray Brock as his crew. He and Brock also competed in
and won their class in the 1963 Baja 1000 Road Race. Still working
at his garage, this legend of a man will stop what he is doing, sit you
down, and regale you with another of his amazing stories, and as I’ve said
before, they are all remarkably true.
Back to:
Ak Miller
|