By Tony Bellisssimo
He started short-track drag racing while a student at Clarke High School, and it didn’t take long for things to reach the next level following his graduation in 1993. After go-kart racing for a few years, he purchased a stock car and joined the Charger division at Riverhead Raceway, where he’s evolved into a weekly contender.
“Daryn’s an easy guy to root for,” said Bob Finan, who serves as the public relations director and race announcer at Riverhead. “He has tremendous spirit and desire to race.”
Miller, a Franklin Square resident who has been hearing impaired since birth, relies on a four-light system designed by his father, Bob, to communicate during races much like other drivers use a radio. Bob Miller transmits instructions via remote control to a receiver that hangs from the top of Daryn’s windshield. Green and yellow lights are sandwiched between a pair of red lights. The top red light directs Daryn to go low on the track, and the bottom one means to go high. Green, of course, means go, and yellow stands for caution.
“The light system my dad developed has enabled me to become the racer I am today,” Miller wrote in an e-mail. “I am a visual driver and have learned to react quickly and make adjustments on the fly.”
In his fourth year competing at Riverhead, Miller is tied for fourth place in the Charger standings with 372 points. He’s still seeking his first victory, which barely eluded him a month ago when he relinquished the lead with two laps to go due to a spinout. “I believe all of the progress I have made over the years is really evident,” he explained. “I am definitely holding my own this season and am eagerly awaiting my first victory.”
Finan thinks Miller’s first checkered flag could come this season. “Daryn’s been right in the front pack for about five or six races in a row,” Finan said. “He’s knocking on the door.”
Sponsored by Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace, Tarr’s Home Improvement and Fischetti Nursery, Miller plans to continue in the Charger division for another two years before considering a leap to the Modifieds. In addition to his father, the pit crew includes Glenn Dixon and Vinny Stramaglia.
Noted Miller: “I never let my handicap stop me from pursuing my goals and will continue living life hard and fast.”
Comments about this story? TBellissimo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 204.
