Steve Millen

Steve Millen
Millen's Nissan IMSA car
Nationality	New Zealander
Born	(1953-02-17)17 February 1953
Related to	Rod Millen(brother) Rhys Millen(nephew) Ryan Millen (nephew)
Previous series
1995 1986–1987	International Race of Champions American Racing Series
24 Hours of Le Manscareer
Years	1990, 1994
Best finish	5th (1994)
Class wins	0

Steve Millen(born 17 February 1953) is a retiredNew ZealandIMSArace car driver. In the 1970s and 1980s, Millen raced inhillclimbingandFormula Fordbefore doing stadiumoff-road racingin theUnited Statesin theMickey Thompson Entertainment Group(MTEG). He then begansports car racing,winning numerous championships inIMSA Camel GT.Millen won 20 races in the series, including the24 Hours of Daytonaand the12 Hours of Sebring.

Racing career

Millen began his racing career inhillclimbingin 1969. He then moved to theFormula Fordseries. He started competing inrally carsin the mid 1970s. He switched tooff-road racingin theMickey Thompson Entertainment Group(MTEG) stadium series in the early 1980s. He won the 1986, 1988, and 1989 Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Grand National Sports Truck Championships. He also won twoIndy Lightsraces in the series' inaugural 1986 season, that same year, he also participates in the last round of the World Rally Championship in the21st Olympus Rallydriving forToyota Team Europe,accompanying the Swedish driversBjörn WaldegårdandLars-Erik Torph.

Millen switched to theIMSA Camel GTseries in 1990. He was the1990 24 Hours of Le MansRookie of the Year. He won three races and took five pole positions in 1990. He had seven poles and five wins in 1991. He also drove forAllan Moffat Racingin the1991 Tooheys 1000atBathurst,partneringGary Brabhamin aFord Sierra RS500but the car did not finish the race. Millen expressed interest in returning by no offer was forthcoming with the Moffat team seeing the return of the cars builder Ruedi Eggenberger in 1992 along with his ace driverKlaus Niedzwiedz.

Millen won the 1992IMSA GTSchampionship in aNissan 300ZXTwinTurbocar. He won the12 Hours of Sebringand had top five finishes in the first four events before his 1993 season ended with injuries atWatkins Glen International.

Millen returned in 1994, and won the IMSA GTS championship. He won the 199424 Hours of Daytonaand12 Hours of Sebring,and was first in class at the24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 1995, Millen won the 12 Hours of Sebring. He was invited to theInternational Race of Champions(IROC). He was leading the IMSA GTS championship, when he had a professional career-ending crash atRoad Atlanta.He had competed in three of four IROC races.

Millen has the most all-time wins in IMSA GTS history with 20 victories. His 23 pole positions are also a series record.[1]

He has had several wins in occasional appearances in various series since his retirement.

Millen also worked as a driver for commercials sometimes withRodand has appeared in a commercial for Honda, despite being under contract at the time to rivalNissan.He is also a member of theScreen Actors Guildas a stunt driver, which provided the healthcare he needed when he had his career ending crash.

Business career

He startedStillen,an aftermarket performance parts company specializing in Nissan and other performance vehicles in 1986. During the 1990s, Millen offered a line of customized high performance Chevrolet Suburban SUVs, and several modified Nissan special edition vehicles. Millen has also been active in designing and engineering race cars for hill climbing, notably the Pikes Peak andRace to the Skyhillclimb inQueenstown,New Zealand.

Racing family

Steve's brotherRod Millenbecame a legend at thePikes Peak International Hillclimb.Steve is the uncle ofRhysand Ryan who both compete in motorsport events.

Motorsports career results

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold - Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Championsresults
Year	Make	1	2	3	4	Pos.	Points	Ref
1995	Dodge	DAY 9	DAR 9	TAL 10	MCH	12th	20

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class pos.
1990	Nissan Performance Technology Inc.	Bob Earl Michael Roe	Nissan R90CK	C1	311	17th	17th
1994	Cunningham Racing	John Morton Johnny O'Connell	Nissan 300ZX Turbo	IMSA GTS	317	5th	1st
Sources:

Bathurst 1000 results

Year	Team	Car	Co-driver	Class	Position	Laps
1991	Allan Moffat Enterprises	Ford Sierra RS500	Gary Brabham	Div. 1	DNF	128

See also

• Stillen
• Rod Millen
• Rhys Millen
• Nissan

External links

• Stillen website
• Steve Millendriver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Images
• Profile and results of Steve Millen,Rallybase.nl
• rallye-info profile on Steve Millen