Mike Miller will be honored at Stars to Legends race Thursday


Mike Miller, who will be honored at State Park Speedway Aug. 8, with his No. 18 Mustang. (Contributed photo)
The CWRA Stars to Legends Tour as presented by Smiley’s Old Time Diner will be at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, Aug. 8.
In addition to all the stars of CWRA racing, the night will see the honoring of short track racing star Mike Miller, who will be on hand to mix and mingle with fans and sign autographs.
Miller was a prolific winner back in the 1970s and 1980s, racing four nights a week on the CWRA circuit.
Miller also competed on the ARTGO Tour, as he won five there, as well as later on with the ASA Circuit of Champions, where he won 16 races. Miller also captured numerous open competition events, as far west as California, and south to Florida, with wins also occurring nearly everywhere in between.
Other racers whom Mike competed with will also be on hand for autograph signing, including Tom Reffner, Marv Marzofka, Jim Bohmsach, Scott Hansen, Gary Back, Dennis Lampman, Bob Abitz, Steve Holzhausen and Kirby Kurth, among others.
Besides the racers in attendance, cars that raced back in the day will be on hand, including a Chevy Camaro that Miller raced to a win with in 1981 at the Minnesota State Fair, a Marv Marzofka Camaro that won four track Championships in the same season in 1979, a Javelin that has the exact appearance of the one that Tom Reffner won 67 Features with in 1975, and a Dick Trickle Coors Light beer look-a-like race car.
As a bonus, the cars will be compete in a pair of short dash events on the 1/4 mile paved oval, just like they would have in past years of racing.
A car that looks identical to the one Wausau native Larry Detjens drove in the mid-1970s will be the pace car for those dash events.
All the top drivers of CWRA are expected to be in attendance for the event including Tour points leader Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids.
Currently second in points, and a huge fan favorite at State Park is local star Mark Mackesy, who will be racing on the night. Chad Butz of Green Bay, current rookie points leader Harley Jankowski of Sparta, Darek Gress of Neillsville, and the hottest driver in central Wisconsin heading into the show, Travis Volm of Mosinee, will also compete.
A total of 20 or more CWRA race cars are expected for the race, and they will compete in two 40-lap Feature events.
Besides the CWRA race cars, the Midwest Truck Series will make an appearance. Support Divisions, Mini-Stocks, Mini-Mods, Pure Stocks, and Limited Late Models will make up the balance of those competing in a full night of racing.
Pit gates for the night’s racing open at 3:30 p.m., with fan gates opening at 4:30 p.m., qualifying at 6 p.m. and racing set for 7:15 p.m.
State Park Speedway is located 2.3 miles West of Highway 51, at exit 190, on County Road NN. The track phone number is 715-212-9006.