Lucky or just good?

• Bill Miller

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Bill Miller of Plevna, Mont., races against his brother T.C. Shelhamer, back, during a Wissota Street Stocks heat race on May 29 at the Southwest Speedway. Miller has won his first two feature races this season, breaking a winless streak that dated back to 2006.

Talk about it

Bill Miller doesn’t know why he’s winning, but he’s not about to ask questions.

After not winning a feature race since 2006, the Wissota Street Stocks driver from Plevna, Mont., has won the first two 20-lap features of the season at the Southwest Speedway.

“I don’t even know why this year is going like this,” Miller said. “It seems like everything is working out. I’m missing the wrecks, the car isn’t spinning out on its own, the cautions come out at the right time. There have been a lot of good circumstances. Really the car isn’t any different from last year, other than setup.”

So is it luck?

Miller thinks it might be.

Whatever the case, he’s happy to be racing the way he has been.

“It’s a big surprise that’s for sure,” said Miller, who is leading the track’s Street Stocks point standings heading into tonight’s races.

T.C. Shelhamer, Miller’s brother, is running third in the points and said catching Miller may not be very easy this summer.

“I don’t think he’s lucky. He’s just got his A-game on,” Shelhamer said. “He’s consistent, fast, he hasn’t touched anybody. He’s got (the car) hooked up.”

Miller has been in the right place at the right time too.

On the second night of the season, May 29, Miller worked his way from the back of the pack and then bided his time, waiting for the right time to move forward. After Miller took the lead, there were no more cautions that could have messed with his positioning. It allowed him to race freely and hold on for the win.

“With this race, it was a little easier,” Miller said.

Miller said he’s just happy to be winning again.

He finished second behind Eric Paul in the chase for the 2007 Street Stocks season championship and then took 2008 off to be the Southwest Speedway’s head flag man. He returned to racing part-time in 2009 but didn’t have much luck.

This year, however, things seem to be going his way.

“It’s just amazing,” Miller said. “It’s a shocker when you win two in a row and you haven’t won any for two and a half years.

“I can’t ask for a better year so far, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Tags: auto racing, bill miller, southwest speedway, sports