Where STILLEN Began: Steve Millen Racing Heritage

Where STILLEN Began: Steve Millen Racing Heritage

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STILLEN Company founder Steve Millen has been globally racing at the professional level for over 30 years. Formula Fords in Singapore, Rally Cars in Africa, Trucks in football stadiums and Nissan Prototypes at LeMans and the 24 Hours of Daytona are just some of Steve’s victory credits. Steve captured the prestigious title of IMSA GT Driver’s Championship in both 1992 and 1994 driving his Cunningham Racing prepared Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo racecar. His lengthy list of wins has earned him a new title that may remain intact for decades to come…
“The All-Time Winningest Driver in IMSA GT History.”

This legacy of racing experience has led the way in every aspect of the STILLEN business. A fundamental part of success in racing rests in the ability to continually refine performance by a program of modification and testing. Throughout the years, this has been Steve Millen’s forte. He is sought out for testing by such magazines as Road & Track where you will often see his name or byline when they are testing the most powerful and exotic sports cars in the world. For STILLEN, this means that we build and sell parts that work. We also constantly refine existing parts. It’s this type of professional product evaluation in real-world driving situations that give STILLEN a distinct advantage. Automotive journalists at magazines such as Car & Driver, Road & Track, Motor Trend, Automobile, AutoWeek, Turbo, and Sport Compact Car have reviewed and tested many of our products and project vehicles, and provided us with rave reviews.

RACING TIMELINE

1969
  • Began racing career in Hillman New Zealand
1970
  • Continued racing Commer Cob in hillclimbs and rallies
1971
  • Began national racing career in Mark II Jaguar sedan

Jaguar Mk II (1971) Sedan Steve Millen Racing Heritage


1972
  • Raced BMW sedan and Elden Formula Ford – Began international racing career

BMW 2002 (1972) Steve Millen Racing Heritage


1973
  • Won five rounds of New Zealand Formula Ford Championship
  • Won Singapore Grand Prix, Formula Ford class
  • Competed in the New Zealand Heatway Internaional Rally

1974
  • 1st South Pacific Saloon Car Championship

1975
  • 1st in under 2 litre Peter Stuyvesant Series
  • 2nd New Zealand International Rally

1976
  • 1st in class, Benson & Hedges 500 Mile race in Triumph 2500 P.I.
  • 2nd Cibie Rally
1977
  • 1st South East Asian Grand Prix drivers Championship
  • 1st Baypark International
  • 1st Penang Grand Prix
  • 2nd Macau Grand Prix
  • 2nd in class, Benson & Hedges 500 Mile race

1978
  • 1st Baypark International – Chevron B42
  • 1st Selangor Grand Prix, Malaysia – Chevron B42

1979
  • Professional driver for General Motors Dealer Team
    Chevrolet Chevette Steve Millen Rally
  • 1st New Zealand Rally Sprint Championship
  • 1st Pukekohe Gold Star Championship Round
  • 2nd Rotorua New Zealand Rally Championship

1980
  • 1st New Zealand International Grand Prix – Ralt RT1
  • 1st Malaysian Grand Prix – set new lap record – Ralt RT1
  • 1st Penang Grand Prix – set new lap record – Ralt RT1

1981
  • 1st in four New Zealand International Series events
  • 1st in Heat Two, New Zealand International Grand Prix – set new lap record, 2nd overall

1982
  • 2nd in New Zealand International Grand Prix – 2nd in heat 1, 1st in heat 2
  • 1st in Riverside Memorial Day Formula Atlantic Race, set new lap record – Ralt RT1
  • 2nd Arizona Pro Rally – highest placing for production rally car in U.S. history- Nissan 200SX
  • 4th Long Beach Grand Prix Formula Atlantic Race – Ralt RT1

1983
  • Joined Toyota Factory Off-Road Team – wins at Pomona & Dallas
  • 1st East of Indio Divisional Pro Rally
  • 1st Tour de Forest Pro Rally
  • 2nd Riverside Off- Road World Championship – Class 7
  • 2nd overall Manufacturers Cup Challenge for Mini Trucks – Toyota Factory Team
  • 1st Manufacturers Trophy Championship for Toyota Factory Team – M.T.E.G

1984
  • 1st Mickey Thompson Stadium Events – Phoenix & Silverdome (Detroit)
  • 1st Manufacturers Trophy Championship
  • 3rd Long Beach Grand Prix Super Vee Race
  • 1st Mears Gang Off Road Race
  • 2nd Off-Road World Championship at Riverside, California
  • 2nd Off-Road Manufacturers Cup Challenge
  • 1st East of Indio Pro Rally
  • 3rd Norwester Pro Rally, Washington
  • 3rd Michigan International Pro Rally
  • 3rd Mid Ohio 24 Hour Race – Porsche 944
  • Raced at Daytona 24 Hour & Sebring12 Hour Races
  • 1st Riverside Enduro – Open Wheel

1985
  • 1st Mickey Thompson Manufacturers Trophy Championship for Toyota
  • 1st San Bernadino Off-Road Race
  • 2nd in both Pomona Off-Road race
  • 1st in Pontiac Firebird GTO in Columbus 500 to earn Norelco Driver’s Cup
    Pontiac Firebird 1985 GTO Steve Millen Racing Heritage (1)
  • Drove IMSA GTP for Momo Team at Sears Point & Columbus 500 events
    ALBA AR5 Ford Cosworth 30 Car Steve Millen Racing Heritage (3)
  • Prepared & drove production based Corvette in “Playboy” Endurance Championship

1986
  • Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Grand National Sports Truck Champion – with wins at Hoosierdome ( Indianapolis), San Bernardino (California), Silverdome (Detroit), Houston (Texas).
  • 1st Manufacturers Trophy Championship for Toyota
  • Voted to First Team AARWBA All-American Team
  • Won two Indy Lights races including the inaugural event at Phoenix & Mid-Ohio
  • Started from front row at Meadowlands ( New Jersey ) ARS (American Racing Series) race
  • Was leading the Indy Lights Series at mid-season when team owner, Jim Trueman died, disolving the team.
  • Drove for Toyota Team Europe in World Championship Rally events in Washington & Africa

1987
  • Invited to compete in the prestigious toyota Pro Celebrity race at Long Beach
  • 2nd at Daytona 24 Hour Race with Dan Gurney’s Factory Toyota Team – Celica GTO
    Toyota Celica Turbo AAR 1987-88 98 Car Steve Millen Racing Heritage (2)
  • Competed in ARS ( American Racing Series) Championship
  • 1st Manufacturers Trophy Championship

1988
  • 1st Rosebowl Truck Race
    Toyota Stadium Truck Steve Millen Racing Heritage (4)
  • Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix Grand National Sports Truck Champion
    Toyota Stadium Truck Steve Millen Racing Heritage (2)
  • 1st Manufacturers Trophy Championship
  • Raced at Daytona 24 Hour event with Dan Gurney’s IMSA GTO Toyota Team
    Toyota Celica Turbo AAR 1987-88 98 Car Steve Millen Racing Heritage (1)

1989
  • Joined Nissan with inaugural IMSA GTO Team driving 300ZX
  • 1st – Road America Raceway (Elkhart Lake, WI) – IMSA GTO
  • Competed in IMSA GTO Series for Factory Nissan Team – 13 Races including four 3rd place finishes, one pole and one win
  • Qualifying lap records at Topeka, Kansas and Road America Raceway (Elkhart Lake, WI)
  • 1st – Truck Division at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb with a time of 13:30:13
  • Pikes Peak Hill Climb “Rookie of the Year”

1990
  • 24 Hours of Le Mans Rookie of the Year & 17th overall Piloting Nissan R90CK Prototype – captured lap record at 3:40:03 at 138.208 mph average
    Nissan R90CK Lola Unisia Nissan 84 Car Steve Millen Racing (3)
  • Won three GTS races – Miami, Mosport, Elkhart Lake
  • Record qualifying laps, Mosport & Lime Rock
  • Captured five GTS pole positions – Miami, Mosport, Portland, Lime Rock, Del Mar

1991
  • Earned seven poles in Exxon GTS Series – Sebring, Miami, Mosport, New Orleans, Portland, Road America, Watkins Glen
  • Scored four wins in Exxon GTS Series – Long Beach Road America, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock
  • Record race laps at Road Atlanta & Lime Rock
  • Raced at Bathurst 1000 in Australia for the Allan Moffat Team with co-driver Gary Brabham
  • Cover of Road & Track magazine with Nissan 300ZX GTZ street car tuned by STILLEN

1992
  • Crowned IMSA Exxon Supreme GTS Drivers Champion
  • Earned four poles in Exxon GTS Series – Daytona, Miami, Laguna Seca, Road America
  • Scored four wins in Exxon GTS Series – Miami, Mid Ohio, New Orleans, Lime Rock
  • Record qualifying laps at Miami & Road America
  • Record race laps at Miami, Mosport, Mid Ohio & Portland
  • 1st GTS Manufacturers Championship for Nissan
  • Won 2 IMSA races at Fuji Speedway, Japan

1993
  • 1st Sebring 12 HourRace achieving 15th career GTS win
  • Record qualifying lap at Miami
  • Finished second at Miami, third at Daytona & fifth at Mid-Ohio before being sidlined for the remainder of the season due to serious injuries sustained at Watkins Glen on June 26th

1994
  • Exxon Supreme Series GTS Drivers Champion
    Nissan 300ZX TT IMSA 75 Race Car STEVE MILLEN 1ST PLACE
  • Led Nissan to Exxon Series GTS Manufacturers Championship
  • Scored four wins including two solo wins at Road Atlanta & Portland
  • 1st 24 Hours of Daytona
  • 1st 12 Hours of Sebring
  • 1st in class at 24 Hours of Le Mans, 5th overall
  • Earned Pole Positions at Daytona, Sebring & Portland
  • Record race laps at Atlanta & Mosport
  • Voted to First Team AARWBA All-American Team
  • 2nd at IMSA Race in Autopolis, Japan

1995 Most pole positions in IMSA GTS history with 23 poles
Winningest driver in IMSA GTS history with 20 career wins

  • Debuted new V8 Engine in GTS 300ZX car at Daytona
    Nissan 300ZX TT 75 Car Steve Millen Racing Heritage (8)
  • 1st 12 Hours of Sebring
  • Invited to compete in the prestigious International Race of Champions (IROC) Series – raced at Daytona, Darlington & Talladega Super Speedways – missed Michigan event due to Road Atlanta accident
    IROC 1996 Steve Millen Racing Heritage
  • Led New Zealand TranZam Street Skills Series until returning to U. S.
  • A career-ending accident occurred April 30th, while running 2nd at Road Atlanta & leading the GTS Championship

1996
  • Retired from professional racing

1997
  • Raced the historic winning Ralt RT1 and a Frizbee Can Am car in the VARA Historic Race held in Tustin, California, capturing first in all races
  • Competed with Ralt RT1 in the Downtown Los Angeles Historic Race, finishing 1st

1998
  • Competed with a STILLEN prepared production 300ZX in the Tijuana, Mexico Grand Prix, finishing first
1999
  • Focused efforts to move remaining outsourced performance parts production in-house at STILLEN to control costs and product quality
2000
  • Raced historic Ralt RT1 and Frizbee Can Am Car in annual VARA Historic race held in Tustin California, winning all races
2001
  • Competed in the New Zealand Targa Rally for Ford in a Falcon, finishing 8th out of 180 competitors

Ford Falcon Steve Millen Racing Heritage (1)

  • Nissan shipped Steve’s historic #75 IMSA GTS 300ZX to Japan to be part of the Nissan anniversary, driven by Steve at the Fuji curcuit during fesivities


2002
  • Competed in the New Zealand Targa Rally in a Ford Falcon, finishing in top 10
2003
  • Raced the winning Ralt RT1 at the HSR West Historic Race on the road Course in Fontana California, finishing 1st
  • Competed in the New Zealand Targa Rally in a Turbo 6 Ford Falcon, finishing 6th overall
    Ford Falcon Steve Millen Racing Heritage (2)
2004
  • Competed in the New Zealand Targa Rally in a Turbo 6 Ford Falcon.
  • Raced the #75 IMSA GTS 300ZX car and the famous Ralt RT1 in the HSR West Historic Race Meeting in Fontana California, finishing 1st in the Ralt. 300ZX DNF due to engine fire
    Nissan 300ZX TT 75 Race Car Steve Millen On Track (1)
2005
  • Competed in annual New Zealand Targa Rally with New Ford Focus with modified Turbo 6 Falcon motor. Very Fast car plauged by New Car /First Race mechanical issues – DNF.

2006
  • Competed in annual New Zealand Targa Rally in New STILLEN Ford GT with many STILLEN upgrades. Extremely Fast car, held back by inclement weather and high horsepower without the advantage of all-wheel drive. An unfortunate mathematical navigation mistake set the team back 3 minutes and locked them out of the Top 10 – 3rd Place in class, 14th overall.
    Ford GT Targa NZ 2008 Steve Millen Racing Heritage (3)

2007
  • Road and Track magazine test 0-200 MPH in the standing mile.

2008
  • GT Targa New Zealand…8th place overall, first father son team, first V8, first Ford.
    Ford GT Targa NZ 2008 Steve Millen Racing Heritage (5)
  • Nissan North America’s exclusive driver for the media and dealer release of the Nissan GT-R.
    IMG_3914
  • Road and Track magazine driver for GT-R, Corvette, 911 test.
  • Road and Track magazine driver for Top 8 affordable supercar challenge.