Coming off turn four, Tres Miller thought his mini stock race car had cleared the driver just behind him. Instead, his brakes and steering locked up as the other car clipped him from behind.
The next thing Miller knew, his head was hitting the roll cage as his car flipped four times down the front straightaway at Red River Speedway in Wichita Falls back in 2016.
"It scared me a little bit," the now 17-year-old Miller admitted. "But if it's what you love to do, you just strap yourself back in."
That horrific moment that seemed to freeze in time could've forced the Cache native to call his racing days quits. Instead, he's back out on the track at Lawton Speedway, chasing down his racing goals to finish top-10 in points and win Rookie of the Year.
"We'd like to compete for a championship next year," said Miller, who is currently sitting seventh in the points standings and atop the rookie points ladder.
"Racing is what fuels me, and it's what I love to do," Miller said. "The adrenaline rush is unbelievable knowing I risk my life every time I get behind the wheel, but it's my way of life and my hobby."
Currently, Miller and other racers are in the middle of the season, which started at the beginning of April. There are races the next two months before racers take the whole month of September off, with the exception of the final two nights of the month when the season's grand finale, the Winter Nationals, is held.
"We had a rough first couple weeks trying to figure out issues with the car and what was going on," Miller said. "But we got it figured out for the most part right now and have had a lot of successful nights."
Roughly 20 other cars check in for each week's race on Saturday night and are split up into three heat races of about five or six. The outcome of the roughly 8-lap heat races determines the starting spot for the A feature, or main event.
Although Miller is far younger than most he races against, he is clearly holding his own. Now, to win Rookie of the Year, and potentially up into the top-5 overall, Miller and his team must hold on for dear life.
"We have just a few more weeks left, and hopefully we can hold on," Miller said. "If we could run top-5, great, but to be top-10 in points and Rookie of the Year would be a big confidence booster for my team and I. To already start having the success in my first full year and to know that my car is able to run with some of these guys who have been doing this and racing for 30-plus years is an awesome feeling."
In 2015, Miller started racing a mini stock at the age of 14. Now he races in a limited modified car and is one of the youngest — if not the youngest — out there racing at Lawton Speedway.
"It's different racing when you're younger and they are so much older, but it's nice to have them to look up to if you ever need any help," Miller said. "Once you put the helmet on and hit the track, you're all about the same age it seems like."
Miller has help from his crew chief, Barney Birgenheier.
The two are in the same grade at Cache High School and first met while both out riding four-wheelers one day.
"One thing I love about working with him is we have started off when we are young and can always grow to do bigger and better things," Birgenheier said. "Most guys out there are in their 20s, but we're just now getting started. We're buds out there on the track and away from it."
"We're going to try and do our best this year," echoed Miller. "We're still learning as we go."
The nightmare in Wichita Falls is still hazy, but Miller remained conscious throughout what could have been a fatal wreck.
"It's a bit of a blur," Miller said. "It's definitely something I never want to have happen again."
In the waking moments after the wreck while fully coming to terms with what happened, Miller first thought about his mom, Yvette Fletcher. Then, Cody Hinkle, one of Miller's team members, raced toward him and was the first to get on the track and assist Miller, making sure he was OK.
"It just goes to show you how much they really care," Miller said.
Miller said that because Lawton has one of smaller tracks across Oklahoma, it's important to not want to race the car that's right next to you and instead possess a quick reaction time for what's going on just in front of your hood.
"You want to be watching and racing the next two or three cars in front of you and see what they're doing and figure out how to get by them," Miller said. "Because if they spin out or wreck themselves, that car ahead of you comes up quick. So you've got to know what you're doing. It's all about paying attention, and it's all about technique."
Miller also praised his several sponsors helping out when they can, which allows him to take care of new tires, fuel and any maintenance that needs to be done to the car. Miller's sponsors include: Miller Enterprises, KR Promotions, Hair By Baylee, Texoma Timber, Los Tres Amigos, H3 Lawn Care, Herring Construction, Hill & Son Home Remodeling, Bulletproof Tees, Finley Fencing & Welding, Don Evans Window Tint & Trailer and Pever Building Services.
"I really can't do this whole deal without them," Miller said.
After Winter Nationals — an event which sees many top-tier racers from the Dallas area come up, prompting drivers to have to bring their 'A-game' against stiff competition — Miller's team may try to hit a few big shows here and there and some that are close to home. Miller also has races at Elk City Speedway, Red Dirt Raceway just outside of Oklahoma City and a few races down in Texas. If no more destinations present themselves, Miller said they'll strip the car down and start again next April.
You can catch Miller and other racers at the Lawton Speedway this Saturday night as the race adds a Fourth of July twist, with fireworks for fans during intermission, which should add a patriotic flare to a sport that is already as red, white and blue as they come.
"I feel like dirt track racing is a little bit more patriotic sport," Miller said. "I always thought it was pretty cool seeing everybody go out there and support the local dirt track around the country."
Miller is in a prime position to further solidify his Rookie of the Year case in this weekend's race, and he knows precisely what type of racing will get him there.
"What racing really comes to is if your car is set up right and if you can drive the piss out of it."