Wes Miller
Interview: 2015 Polaris RZR Desert Racing Wes Miller: Pro UTV SCORE &
BITD Racing
Las
Vegas, NV (9/5/2015) –
Most people know Wes Miller from his H-Bomb Films’
Huevos videos or the Bomb Squad Freestyle Team,
but Miller is also an accomplished racer with over
30 years of off-road racing experience. Winning
multiple Baja races and 5 SCORE ATV Championships.
Most of which while riding for Team Honda with his
good friend, Wayne Matlock.
We recently caught up with Wes
at the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno desert
race to see what he’s been up to since getting
out of the DVD sales business.
ATVRiders.com:
Why did you stop racing quads? Wes
Miller:
Well, I knew that I couldn’t race quads forever.
After the 2012 Baja 1000, we had a mechanical
issue and lost the race and the championship.
I didn’t want to go out like that, so I decided
to race one more year. With the help of some great
teammates in 2013, we were able to win the Baja
1000 and the SCORE Championship. I wanted to step
away on top. There were a lot of tragic events
that year and it felt like it was time to hang
it up. It was an amazing time racing quads in
Baja, and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,
our support crew, and sponsors. I’m very grateful
to all of them for everything they did to put
us in the winner’s circle so many times.
2011
SCORE BAJA 1000 1a Pro ATV Championship
Jersey's
Wes Miller, Wayne Matlock, Josh Caster
ATVRiders.com:What are you doing now? Wes
Miller:
I’ve wanted to transition into a UTV for some
time now. Coming from the ATV world, I’ve seen
the development of the UTV market first hand.
In fact, we showcased some of the first UTV races
in my Huevos videos back in the mid 2000’s. Back
in the day, the guys from Rhinocraft came out
and jumped their Rhino off my freestyle ramp.
And we all went back East and raced one of the
first UTV short course events with the WPSA, but
back then, no one was doing it. The UTVs weren’t
that fast and they broke down all the time. They
just weren’t designed to do what we were doing.
The past few years all of that has changed. Now
there are more Pro UTV’s than quads and the cars
have come a long way. There are multiple manufactures
making competitive UTV’s and more joining the
ranks. It is an exciting time for UTV industry,
and seeing all of that, I decided I needed to
get involved.
Wes
Miller teamed up with BC Vaught, Dave Lazovsky,
& Tommy Scranton to race in the 2015
SCORE & BITD Series
ATVRIDERS: Tell us about
your race team? Wes
Miller:
Well, I was looking to get into a UTV for SCORE
and BITD. A friend of mine, Dave Lazovsky, that
I used to race quads with back in the day was
interested in it as well. At the same time another
friend BC Vaught that managed the Bomb Squad,
was starting rOtation Motorsports. We all went
to the Baja 1000 last year and after talking decided
to put together a team. Between BC and I, we had
most of the sponsors we needed to make it happen.
We started with a ’15 Polaris RZR XP 4 1000. We
took it to Lonestar Racing for the build. Dan
and Garrick did a great job on the car. LSR did
the full cage and we went with their MTS Suspension
Kit and Fox 3.0 Internal Bypass Shocks. Bikeman
Performance did the motor with a Dalton clutch.
We designed a one off K&N dual filter system.
30” GBC Mongrels with Tire Blocks on Hiper beadlock
wheels. Pro Armor seats and harnesses. Baja Designs
helped us develop an awesome light bar. Rugged
Radios dialed in the radio, intercom, and GPS.
And we run a Factory UTV full skid.
ATVRiders.com:
And how is it going so far? Wes
Miller:
Well we finished the car the night before the
Mint 400. With almost no sleep, we had a good
run. I charged through the pack off the start,
but lost a belt and the whole field went back
by. We got going again and worked our way up.
It is crazy how many Pro UTV’s are at these races.
There are 50+ entries at most events now. It makes
for some great racing. We got into the top ten
and at one point, I think we were top five. After
a few more small issues, we ended up seventh.
At the Silver State 300, we again were running
up front but had belt issues and ended up tenth.
The Baja 500 didn’t go so well with a DNF.
Wes
Miller racing in the BITD Silver State 300
Vegas to Reno was going good.
We started 34th and moved to seventh physically.
I think we were top five adjusted. Our transponder
wasn’t working on the IRC site, so we couldn’t
track the car. I hopped out in Tonopah and Tommy
Scranton, who’s been doing a great job as co-driver,
got his first shot at driving the car. He was
moving up until something broke in the steering
and we had to call it at mile 319. I’m really
looking forward to the remainder of the season.
Our car is working amazing. The Fox shocks never
cease to impress me. There are things I hit now
in this car that would have beat the crap out
of me on my quad.
Wes
Miller was on the move in the BITD Vegas
to Reno before suffering a steering issue,
which ended the race for the team
ATVRiders.com:
Is there
anyone you would like to thank? Wes
Miller: Yes, definitely. My teammates
Dave Lazovsky, Tommy Scranton, and new co-driver
Austin Adler. BC Vaught and rOtation Motorsports
for assembling a great group of sponsors. And
all of our sponsors, we couldn’t do this without
them. Polaris RZR, Mystik Lubricants, Kicker Audio,
Lonestar Racing, Fox Shox, Bikeman Performance,
GBC Tires, Hiper Wheels, Tire Blocks, Baja Designs,
K&N Filters, GoPro, Factory UTV, Pro Armor,
Rugged Radios, Fly Racing, Alba Racing, Toyskinz,
Skat Trak, Stratus, Coldcock Whiskey, IMG Motorsports,
Humbolt Motorsports, and Muzzys.