Team E Racing Announces Miller for Indy Lights Season-Opener
As a former ‘New Team of the Year’ award winner and previous series race winner, Team E has always had the tools to succeed in the highly-competitive Indy Lights series. Thanks to a new partnership – albeit right now for just one race – with Miller, the Florida-based team is poised to once again challenge for top honors. Miller, who will be piloting the No. 17 Team E Racing/Skip Barber entry, and making his third career Indy Lights start, enters the season-opening race seeking to better his personal best at Infineon Raceway last season (ninth) and Team E’s runner-up finish on the St. Pete street circuit last year.
“I have known Joel for quite some time and know his passion as a driver," stated Team E Racing owner Neil Enerson. “He is a great fit for Team E. We are very pleased to have Joel in the seat of the No. 17 and want to thank Skip Barber Racing for all of their support to make this happen."
Miller, a native of Hersperia, Calif., joins the Team E squad in Florida having not only impressed in his Indy Lights debut in 2010, but also enjoyed success at every step up the racing ladder. Building on multiple national karting titles, Miller did not take long to continue his winning ways upon getting behind the wheel of race car, capturing the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Series title in 2007 with five wins and 10 podiums finishes. Miller then moved up to the Star Mazda Championship the following year as both a MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver and Team USA Scholarship racer, finishing as the series runner-up via a one win and seven podium campaign. Following another season of Star Mazda action that witnessed the 22 year-old Californian once again challenging for top honors on a regular basis, Miller made his Indy Lights debut in 2010, finishing ninth and 11th in two series outings.
“I have not given up all winter in trying to make the grid at St Pete," said Miller. “There were definitely some disappointments when previous negotiated deals did not materialize, but when Neil came to me regarding St Pete, I put that all behind me and focused on making this deal happen. I have to thank the combined efforts of Neil Enerson, the people at the Skip Barber Racing School, as well as all the other smaller supporters that made this coming weekend a possibility. I cannot wait to get to Florida and begin working with the team and putting the car on the front row."
Based just outside of St. Petersburg, Fla., and operated by businessman Neil Enerson, Team E Racing wasted little time in established itself as race-winning outfit. Formed in 2008, Team E won its sixth-ever race (Milwaukee Mile with Bobby Wilson) and added a runner-up finish at the Nashville Superspeedway in its inaugural season, earning the Indy Lights New Team of the Year award. Running limited campaigns the past two seasons, the team – which features a highly experienced staff with two series titles under their belts – continued to show it has the tools to succeed, finishing second in 2010 season-opener on the streets of St. Petersburg.