Rod Millen
Encyclopedia
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
.
. Millen is the father of Rhys Millen
and Ryan Millen, and the brother of Steve Millen
. All have raced in various types of motorsports. Rod's son Rhys has raced with him in the Baja 1000
. Early in life Millen was trained as a surveyor
, but he decided to race for a living.
in 1978 to do rally races in the United States. He won the North American Race and Rally Championship in 1979.
PRO Rally
, and he won his second series championship in 1985. He won back to back SCCA National Rally Championships in 1987 and 1988.
While winning his third straight SCCA National Rally Championship in 1989, he also won the FIA
Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. In 1989 he raced against his brother Steve
in IMSA's
24 Hours of Daytona
. He won the GTU division of the race with codrivers Al Bacon and Bob Reed. He began competing in major hillclimbing
events, and in 1989 he won the Class C division at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Rod Millen competed in several World Rally Championship
events from 1977 to 1992. He was most active from 1989 to 1992, driving a Mazda 323 AWD, codriven by Tony Sircombe. He placed second in the 1989 Rothman's Rally of New Zealand.
. Millen returned to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, winning in the Open Class in 1991 and Showroom Class in 1992. He moved to the open rally division in 1993, finishing second.
Millen began competing in the Mickey Thompson Stadium Series
, an indoor stadium
off-road racing
series in 1991. He won two events in 1992. He won the series championship in the Grand National Sport Truck series in 1992, 1993, and 1994. In the 12 year history of the series, he was the only driver to win the series championship in three consecutive years. In his career, he had 12 victories in the series before it closed down. His success earned him a spot on the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) All-American First Team in 1992 and 1994.
Millen captured the record for the fastest ascent of the 156 turn, 12.42 mile (19.99 kilometer) Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He broke the old record time by 40 seconds when he ascended the hill in 10:04:06 in 1994 in his all wheel drive Toyota Celica
. His record was broken on July 21, 2007 by Nobuhiro Tajima
driving the Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special to a time of 10:01.408. However, Tajima's record was set after the Pikes Peak surface was partially paved whereas Millen's record was on dirt. Rod had the fastest overall time at the famous mountain four more times (1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999), but was unable to beat his goal of completing the climb in less than 10 minutes. Millen and his wife became the first husband-wife team to contest the hill. He also became the father-son (with Rhys
) to win overall titles on the hill.
Millen competed in the South Africa Stadium series in 1997, winning the championship. Millen returned to his native country New Zealand to compete in the first annual Race to the Sky
hillclimb in 1998 near Queenstown
. He finished second overall in both 1998 and 1999.
He began competing in the Pro-4 division in the Championship Off-Road Racing Series starting with selected events in 1999. Millen's first win in his four wheel drive
Trophy Truck
in 2000 was at the spring Crandon
race. He finished second in the season points standings in 2000 after winning at Luxemburg, Wisconsin
, Fort Dodge, Iowa
, Bark River, Michigan
, and Topeka, Kansas
. He finished second at the BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road race at Crandon that year.
Millen competed in several additional genres of motorsport in 2000. He represented U.S. rally racing at the International Race of Champions at the Canary Islands
. He finished third at the Baja 2000
off-road desert race in his Trophy Truck
. The Baja 1000 was extended to 2000 miles that year. Millen won the SCCA Button Hollow 3 Hour enduro road race.
He raced in the Goldrush International Hillclimb in New Zealand in 2000, finishing second. Millen returned to the Race to the Sky hillclimb in 2001, and won the event. In 2002 he had his second consecutive win, and he finished second in 2003 and 2004. Rod has driven an RX-8 in the Formula D
drifting
series. He attempted to qualify for his first drifting event in 2005 but did not make the field. He competed at several events in 2006.
Millen has competed in numerous Baja 1000
off-road racing
events, most recently finishing second in class in 2006. The team, with his son Ryan Millen as one of the drivers, finished the 34 hour trek through the desert 33 seconds behind the winner in what is considered a photo finish
.
Millen won the Transsyberia rally
2007. With co-driver Richard Kelsey, they competed the 7,100 kilometers from Moscow
, Russia
to Ulan Bator, Mongolia
the fastest of the 26 teams, driving one of 26 Porsche Cayenne
S Transsyberia rally cars.
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:...
, hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, drifting
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
, and super touring
North American Touring Car Championship
The North American Touring Car Championship was a touring car racing series using the Supertouring formula that raced in North America in 1996 and 1997. The series was funded in part by IndyCar team owner Gerald Forsythe. He appointed his Vice-President of Business Operations, Canadian Roger...
.
Personal life
Rod Millen was born in New ZealandNew 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...
. Millen is the father of Rhys Millen
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 Millen, and the brother of Steve Millen
Steve Millen
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 . He then began sports car racing, winning numerous championships in IMSA...
. All have raced in various types of motorsports. Rod's son Rhys has raced with him in the Baja 1000
Baja 1000
SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
. Early in life Millen was trained as a surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, but he decided to race for a living.
1970s
Millen began racing in the New Zealand Rally Championship. He was the season champion in 1975, 1976, and 1977. Millen decided to move to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1978 to do rally races in the United States. He won the North American Race and Rally Championship in 1979.
1980s
He repeated as the champion of the North American Race and Rally in 1980. In 1981 he won the SCCASports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
PRO Rally
SCCA ProRally
SCCA ProRally was an American rally racing series, run by the Sports Car Club of America from 1973 until 2004. The SCCA discontinued it for 2005, allowing Rally America to replace it, utilizing most of the same venues and existing infrastructure.-Rallies:...
, and he won his second series championship in 1985. He won back to back SCCA National Rally Championships in 1987 and 1988.
While winning his third straight SCCA National Rally Championship in 1989, he also won the FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. In 1989 he raced against his brother Steve
Steve Millen
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 . He then began sports car racing, winning numerous championships in IMSA...
in IMSA's
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...
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...
. He won the GTU division of the race with codrivers Al Bacon and Bob Reed. He began competing in major hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
events, and in 1989 he won the Class C division at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Rod Millen competed in several World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
events from 1977 to 1992. He was most active from 1989 to 1992, driving a Mazda 323 AWD, codriven by Tony Sircombe. He placed second in the 1989 Rothman's Rally of New Zealand.
1990s
In 1990 he won the Rim of the World SCCA PRO Rally event, and finished second at the Rally Malaysia and the Rally IndonesiaRally Indonesia
Rally Indonesia is the largest rallying event held in Indonesia. Currently part of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship , it has twice been incorporated into the World Rally Championship calendar, in 1996 and 1997...
. Millen returned to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, winning in the Open Class in 1991 and Showroom Class in 1992. He moved to the open rally division in 1993, finishing second.
Millen began competing in the Mickey Thompson Stadium Series
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:...
, an indoor stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
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:...
series in 1991. He won two events in 1992. He won the series championship in the Grand National Sport Truck series in 1992, 1993, and 1994. In the 12 year history of the series, he was the only driver to win the series championship in three consecutive years. In his career, he had 12 victories in the series before it closed down. His success earned him a spot on the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) All-American First Team in 1992 and 1994.
Millen captured the record for the fastest ascent of the 156 turn, 12.42 mile (19.99 kilometer) Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He broke the old record time by 40 seconds when he ascended the hill in 10:04:06 in 1994 in his all wheel drive Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
. His record was broken on July 21, 2007 by Nobuhiro Tajima
Nobuhiro Tajima
, is a hillclimb racer, tuning shop owner, rally team manager and former rally driver who is best known for his participation in Suzuki's rallying program as well as his triumphs at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.-Racing career:...
driving the Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special to a time of 10:01.408. However, Tajima's record was set after the Pikes Peak surface was partially paved whereas Millen's record was on dirt. Rod had the fastest overall time at the famous mountain four more times (1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999), but was unable to beat his goal of completing the climb in less than 10 minutes. Millen and his wife became the first husband-wife team to contest the hill. He also became the father-son (with 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...
) to win overall titles on the hill.
Millen competed in the South Africa Stadium series in 1997, winning the championship. Millen returned to his native country New Zealand to compete in the first annual 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 1998 near 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....
. He finished second overall in both 1998 and 1999.
2000s
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
Trophy Truck
Trophy Truck
Trophy Trucks are the fastest class of off-road racing vehicles designed and built to resemble modern pickup trucks. Although any truck that meets the safety standards can race the trophy truck class, they, for the most part, feature long travel suspensions and high power engines...
in 2000 was at the spring Crandon
Crandon International Off-Road Raceway
The Crandon International Off-Road Raceway is an off-road racing racetrack that has hosts the "World Championship Off-Road Races".-Location:The track is located west of Crandon, Wisconsin on U.S. Route 8.-Track layout:...
race. He finished second in the season points standings in 2000 after winning at Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Luxemburg is a village in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,935 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
, Bark River, Michigan
Bark River, Michigan
Bark River is an unincorporated community located in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Bark River Township near the Bark River. It is situated on U.S. Highway 2 and U.S. Highway 41 about 13 miles west of Escanaba and just east of the Hannahville Indian Reservation...
, and Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
. He finished second at the BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road race at Crandon that year.
Millen competed in several additional genres of motorsport in 2000. He represented U.S. rally racing at the International Race of Champions at the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. He finished third at the Baja 2000
Baja 1000
SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
off-road desert race in his Trophy Truck
Trophy Truck
Trophy Trucks are the fastest class of off-road racing vehicles designed and built to resemble modern pickup trucks. Although any truck that meets the safety standards can race the trophy truck class, they, for the most part, feature long travel suspensions and high power engines...
. The Baja 1000 was extended to 2000 miles that year. Millen won the SCCA Button Hollow 3 Hour enduro road race.
He raced in the Goldrush International Hillclimb in New Zealand in 2000, finishing second. Millen returned to the Race to the Sky hillclimb in 2001, and won the event. In 2002 he had his second consecutive win, and he finished second in 2003 and 2004. Rod has driven an RX-8 in the Formula D
Formula D
Formula DRIFT or Formula D is the premier United States drifting series. Formula Drift, Inc. was co-founded by Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage in 2003 as a sister company to Slipstream Global Marketing, the same partnership that brought D1 Grand Prix to the United States. The new entity would solely own,...
drifting
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
series. He attempted to qualify for his first drifting event in 2005 but did not make the field. He competed at several events in 2006.
Millen has competed in numerous Baja 1000
Baja 1000
SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
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:...
events, most recently finishing second in class in 2006. The team, with his son Ryan Millen as one of the drivers, finished the 34 hour trek through the desert 33 seconds behind the winner in what is considered a photo finish
Photo finish
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race, when two competitors cross the finishing line at near the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to discriminate between which of the competitors crossed the line first, a strip photo, a series of rapidly triggered photographs, or a video taken at the...
.
Millen won the Transsyberia rally
Transsyberia rally
- Transsyberia Rally :Although the route changes year to year, the TransSyberia Rally has been deemed the ultimate challenge for off-road racing enthusiasts. This year's TransSyberia Rally stretches from Moscow, Russia to the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar...
2007. With co-driver Richard Kelsey, they competed the 7,100 kilometers from Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to Ulan Bator, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
the fastest of the 26 teams, driving one of 26 Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is a five seat mid-size luxury crossover manufactured by the German manufacturer Porsche since 2002, with North American sales beginning in 2003. Its platform was developed by Porsche and is shared with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Audi Q7. It is the first V8-engined vehicle...
S Transsyberia rally cars.