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Topic: Duke McMillan info
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November 09, 2008 at
06:18:05 PM
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Can someone provide background or history of legendary car owner and crew chief Duke McMillan? I remember him being active in the 70s at both West Capital and with NARC. I missed several years of racing while living up in northern California due to raising a family and other commitments, but both Duke and Scotty McMillan had a fantastic two weeks down south with their hot driver Jesse Hockett. Any history would satisfy my curosity. Thanks much.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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November 09, 2008 at
09:45:10 PM
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This message was edited on
November 09, 2008 at
09:46:08 PM by wingedwarrior
Reply to:
Posted By: Tripcrwn on November 09 2008 at 06:18:05 PM
Can someone provide background or history of legendary car owner and crew chief Duke McMillan? I remember him being active in the 70s at both West Capital and with NARC. I missed several years of racing while living up in northern California due to raising a family and other commitments, but both Duke and Scotty McMillan had a fantastic two weeks down south with their hot driver Jesse Hockett. Any history would satisfy my curosity. Thanks much.
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What about his son "Racin" Jason McMillan.... Where is he these days?
Throttle Down!
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November 09, 2008 at
10:14:52 PM
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more than that, what about Duke's wife, Carolyn, who has put up with all the shinanigans and stayed so true to putting on the banquets at the end of the year! A dedicated sweetheart amongst turmoil and drama. As far as Im concerned shes my vote for the Walter T. Ross President's Trophy for her years of service on the post season activity.
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November 09, 2008 at
11:22:02 PM
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If my fading memory serves me right, wasn't McMillan the crew chief on the #10 sprinter earlier this year?
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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November 10, 2008 at
12:08:13 AM
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Yes Duke & Scotty were with The #10, and when Shawn Becker drove The #10. Mid 70s on wing or Traditional, Duke has always had a Winning Tradition. 1985 or so, Duke built Rollers for Nick Ringo and Nick Rescino, Both having Good Runs with Those.
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November 10, 2008 at
09:12:48 AM
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This message was edited on
November 10, 2008 at
09:13:23 AM by sprinter25
Some might be able to verify that Duke goes back to the days of his association with Gary Patterson....
Chuck.....
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November 10, 2008 at
07:41:49 PM
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I don't know if I can verify, but both G.P. and McMillen were competitors during the days of NARC. I suppose I can as I have several old NARC year-end annuals stacked away somewhere.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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November 10, 2008 at
10:31:02 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: sprinter25 on November 10 2008 at 09:12:48 AM
Some might be able to verify that Duke goes back to the days of his association with Gary Patterson....
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You are right about GP and Duke McMillan. Check out the West Capital Raceway website and you'll see pictures of Patterson driving the McMillan #82 Super Modified. This would be about 1968. After that Ernie Purcell was in the car until his tragic death in 1970. As for Jason, I saw him back in 2002 working at Folsom Lake Toyota. Super nice guy!
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November 10, 2008 at
11:53:14 PM
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Jason, I believe is a salesman for Snap-on Tools, Equiptment in the Nor-Cal area.
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November 13, 2008 at
12:51:41 AM
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This message was edited on
November 13, 2008 at
12:53:16 AM by Grove
This is some info you asked for that I got from Mrs Duke McMillen so this is the straight skinny on Duke and Scotty, right from the source! I asked Carolyn to send it to me and told her I would post it on the msg board.
RACING BIOGRAPHY OF DUKE McMILLEN
Duke began his racing career in California as a car owner in 1963 partnering with Hank "Raisin'" Cain, at West Sacramento's Capital Speedway running a hard top. In 1964 he and Jake Valenzuela built identical "witch" cars for Manteca's Pete Winters, which were driven by Johnny Brazil (Manteca) and Gary Patterson (Stockton), who won first and third place in points that year at Capital.
Gary Patterson (GP) drove a hard top for Duke in 1965, winning 25 races at Capital Speedway and Roseville Speedway. GP drove for Duke on and off during his racing career, always colorful and a winner. Duke and Jake also built a sprint car for Sherman Cleveland, who ran the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) circuit before he was killed at Calistoga in 1966.
Ernie Purssell drove for Duke in 1970, winning 10 races and leaving special memories none of us will forget—there was a news film by Channel 10's Guy Weybright showing Ernie taking the high scary groove into turn three at Capital and becoming airborne upright over the wall and driving back onto the track into turn four smooth as you please! We enjoyed watching that clip many times.
In 1971 Duke and sponsor CATV Cable's Jim Allen ran pavement with Gary Koster at newly paved Roseville Speedway, winning the championship. Gary is still racing and winning with the spec sprints—don't ask how old he is!!
In 1973 Wayne Sue joined the Duke McMillen/Bill Shadle team for several years, burning up the track at Capitol with a super modified red #2 car, winning 23 races. The most notable was five races in a row from fast time. Drove everyone crazy! We were afraid to wear different clothing, racing uniforms, etc.
In 1975 Duke started building sprint cars and began running with the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) with such notable drivers as Jimmy Sills, Gary Patterson, Tim Green, Chuck Gurney, Johnny Anderson, Billy Yon, Jan Opperman, Butch Bahr, Leland McSpadden, Rick Furkel. He teamed up with the Lovell Brothers (Yuba City Scrap and Steel) from 1980 through 1985 with Gurney, Green and Sills, winning over 100 races. One spring they raced at Ascot Park, Gardena, and El Centro during February and early March and won three races there. Finally, one of the competitors asked, "When does your season start?"
Duke and his son, Scotty, began wrenching for son Jason in 1985, where Jason won NARC Rookie of the Year, the 1986 NARC Most Improved Driver, and won the NARC championship in 1987 in Jack Gordon's #1C sprinter--Racin' Jason happened to be the youngest driver (21) in NARC history to win a championship, with Jack being the oldest owner (70) in NARC history).
Every year beginning 1976 Duke and Scotty would take the team to the Midwest to tilt at their windmills. In 1983 they sat on the pole at the Eldora Nationals with Tim Green, then on the pole of the Knoxville Nationals a week later. They won the Washington State Dirt Cup with Gary Patterson in 1972 and later with Jimmy Sills and Tim Green in the early 80's.
During the winter of 1979-80 Duke teamed up with Roseville's Larry Burton, Butch Bahr to bring the American team of Doug Wolfgang, Steve Kinser, Jimmy Sills and Larry Burton to Australia for a three-month tour of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Rockhampton, Adelaide, and Perth, where they won numerous races and made many lasting friends.
Over the years they have also enjoyed racing with Shane Scott, winning the Chico 410 Silver Dollar Speedway Sprint Car Championship in 1992, Steve Kent, and Tim Kaeding (another Chico championship in 1999), Jonathan Allard (2002 Chico Championship), Peter Murphy, Ronnie Day, Blake Robertson (2003 Chico Championship and 2004 Pacific Sprint Car Nationals), and Sean Becker (2005 GSC Championship and Chico Championship).
Currently Duke and Scotty are enjoying racing non-wing and winged sprints when possible with Missouri driver Jesse Hockett, who has taken the 360 and 410 non-wing sprinters by storm.
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November 13, 2008 at
10:23:56 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Grove on November 13 2008 at 12:51:41 AM
This is some info you asked for that I got from Mrs Duke McMillen so this is the straight skinny on Duke and Scotty, right from the source! I asked Carolyn to send it to me and told her I would post it on the msg board.
RACING BIOGRAPHY OF DUKE McMILLEN
Duke began his racing career in California as a car owner in 1963 partnering with Hank "Raisin'" Cain, at West Sacramento's Capital Speedway running a hard top. In 1964 he and Jake Valenzuela built identical "witch" cars for Manteca's Pete Winters, which were driven by Johnny Brazil (Manteca) and Gary Patterson (Stockton), who won first and third place in points that year at Capital.
Gary Patterson (GP) drove a hard top for Duke in 1965, winning 25 races at Capital Speedway and Roseville Speedway. GP drove for Duke on and off during his racing career, always colorful and a winner. Duke and Jake also built a sprint car for Sherman Cleveland, who ran the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) circuit before he was killed at Calistoga in 1966.
Ernie Purssell drove for Duke in 1970, winning 10 races and leaving special memories none of us will forget—there was a news film by Channel 10's Guy Weybright showing Ernie taking the high scary groove into turn three at Capital and becoming airborne upright over the wall and driving back onto the track into turn four smooth as you please! We enjoyed watching that clip many times.
In 1971 Duke and sponsor CATV Cable's Jim Allen ran pavement with Gary Koster at newly paved Roseville Speedway, winning the championship. Gary is still racing and winning with the spec sprints—don't ask how old he is!!
In 1973 Wayne Sue joined the Duke McMillen/Bill Shadle team for several years, burning up the track at Capitol with a super modified red #2 car, winning 23 races. The most notable was five races in a row from fast time. Drove everyone crazy! We were afraid to wear different clothing, racing uniforms, etc.
In 1975 Duke started building sprint cars and began running with the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) with such notable drivers as Jimmy Sills, Gary Patterson, Tim Green, Chuck Gurney, Johnny Anderson, Billy Yon, Jan Opperman, Butch Bahr, Leland McSpadden, Rick Furkel. He teamed up with the Lovell Brothers (Yuba City Scrap and Steel) from 1980 through 1985 with Gurney, Green and Sills, winning over 100 races. One spring they raced at Ascot Park, Gardena, and El Centro during February and early March and won three races there. Finally, one of the competitors asked, "When does your season start?"
Duke and his son, Scotty, began wrenching for son Jason in 1985, where Jason won NARC Rookie of the Year, the 1986 NARC Most Improved Driver, and won the NARC championship in 1987 in Jack Gordon's #1C sprinter--Racin' Jason happened to be the youngest driver (21) in NARC history to win a championship, with Jack being the oldest owner (70) in NARC history).
Every year beginning 1976 Duke and Scotty would take the team to the Midwest to tilt at their windmills. In 1983 they sat on the pole at the Eldora Nationals with Tim Green, then on the pole of the Knoxville Nationals a week later. They won the Washington State Dirt Cup with Gary Patterson in 1972 and later with Jimmy Sills and Tim Green in the early 80's.
During the winter of 1979-80 Duke teamed up with Roseville's Larry Burton, Butch Bahr to bring the American team of Doug Wolfgang, Steve Kinser, Jimmy Sills and Larry Burton to Australia for a three-month tour of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Rockhampton, Adelaide, and Perth, where they won numerous races and made many lasting friends.
Over the years they have also enjoyed racing with Shane Scott, winning the Chico 410 Silver Dollar Speedway Sprint Car Championship in 1992, Steve Kent, and Tim Kaeding (another Chico championship in 1999), Jonathan Allard (2002 Chico Championship), Peter Murphy, Ronnie Day, Blake Robertson (2003 Chico Championship and 2004 Pacific Sprint Car Nationals), and Sean Becker (2005 GSC Championship and Chico Championship).
Currently Duke and Scotty are enjoying racing non-wing and winged sprints when possible with Missouri driver Jesse Hockett, who has taken the 360 and 410 non-wing sprinters by storm.
* * * * *
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Great info... thanks!
Throttle Down!
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November 13, 2008 at
10:29:49 PM
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Thank you for that Grove and also to Mrs. McMillen. Hopefully this short, but very good biography can be preserved somewhere so that this legendary figure can receive some of the respect he certainly deserves. Maybe Lance Jennings (SCRAFAN) can use this information on one of his side board information panels. Thanks again to both of you and good luck to the McMillen #2 Sprinter in all of their racing endeavours. What an exciting couple of weekends.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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November 13, 2008 at
10:58:18 PM
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I agree. How cool was it to have two of the local (normally winged) teams swap 1st and 2nd for two weekends straight against the best national non-wing guys. The McMillans have been there every night for the last two weekends. Well maybe not the last couple of laps on Sat. And that team was right there at Calistoga too!!!
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November 14, 2008 at
01:00:06 PM
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Carolyn put this info together in response to someone who wanted to nominate Duke for the Hall of Fame.
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