Lake View Motor Speedway
Milliken eyes upcoming Edwards Family Memorial
By Thomas Pope
South Atlantic Diesel Steel Block Bandits Dirt Late Model Challenge
Willie Milliken (heathlawsonphotos.com)
Veteran North Carolina driver Willie Milliken has been fighting through a roller-coaster season. Out of the gate like gangbusters, he's had highs and lows that would have most hanging their head in disgust and frustration. But not this camp, not this wheelman.
“We’ve been underpowered," said a visibly determined Milliken. "I’ve been driving twice as hard just to keep up using an older motor and it’s been tough, no doubt, but to be where we are, I think we’ve done pretty well."
Milliken's longtime engine builder, Mark Batten, suddenly passed earlier this year. Like many of the engine builder's drivers, Milliken felt lost as the patriarch that propelled them to so many wins under the Battenbilt Racing Engines banner was gone. Batten was so determined to help Milliken this year that he loaded a fresh piece in the back of his pickup and took off to Smoky Mountain Speedway the night before the race, to make sure he had what he needed in that first event. Turns out that was one of the last trips Mark and his wife made to the racetrack.
The Roanoke Rapids, N.C., driver has also faced the adjustment to a new chassis in his switch to Barry Wright Race Cars for 2021.
“It’s a great race car, Barry and Lance have been so good to me and easy to work with," Milliken said, "(I'm) just trying to get the car more suitable to my driving style and I think we’re close now, but it has been a learning curve.”
Milliken's back has been against the wall, but he remains in a tight battle in South Atlantic Diesel Steel Block Bandits Dirt Late Model Challenge points, 32 points out of the lead with three races remaining. Russell Erwin of Beaverdam, Va., is atop the points chase with Shaun Harrell of Raeford, N.C., in second.
The Aug. 28 series event holds a special place in Milliken's heart for the second annual Edwards Family Memorial at Lake View (S.C.) Speedway, honoring several members of his wife's family that have been competing nearly 70 years. When you've had Sunday dinners with the likes of Jimmy “Porky” Edwards and “Hurricane” Hank Edwards along with Jimmy Sr. and Curtis, how do you cope with that pressure of carrying the family torch?
“It’s a heavy load for sure, but I think (wife) Crystal and I have managed it well, she keeps me grounded and in touch with our roots. Even though it’s one of the hottest and toughest torches to carry, I feel blessed to be the one to do it,” Milliken said of the Lake View event. “I’ll approach it like any other race, if I don’t, I’ll be beaten before we ever go green. I wanna win this race more than any other, especially for my family, but I gotta be smart.”
Milliken's impressive career with 243 feature victories and 11 championships is testament to his connection to the Edwards family through Crystal. Overall, Edwards drivers have recorded 2,243 feature victories and 91 championship among Jimmy Sr., Jimmy Jr., Hank, Curtis and Willie.
After Lake View comes Sept. 18 action at Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway and the Oct. 23 season finale at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C. Milliken is still looking to break through in the win column.
“I definitely thought we’d have more wins. I thought we’d be much more consistent but it is what it is and it isn’t because of lack of effort," he said. “My guys work their butts off we’ve just had stupid, bad luck, down on motors and a new car, but not to make excuses, we’ve been outperformed. I know my team’s perseverance and we’ll be back. There’s no quitting in this team.”
