Chester “Chet” Joseph Miller (July 19, 1902 – May 15, 1953) was an American racing driver known as the “Dean of the Speedway” for his long and consistent career at the Indianapolis 500. He competed in the AAA/USAC National Championship and, by extension, participated in the FIA Formula One World Championship when the Indy 500 counted towards the championship from 1950–1960.
Early Life[]
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Miller developed a passion for racing early in life. He began competing in local events before making his debut at the Indianapolis 500 in 1930, joining the elite field at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Racing Career[]
Indianapolis 500[]
Miller made 16 starts at the Indy 500 between 1930 and 1952, a record at the time (later tied by Cliff Bergere). Highlights of his Indy career include:
- 1938: Finished 3rd, driving for Boyle Racing Headquarters
- Set a qualifying speed record of 139.034 mph in 1952, securing one of his fastest qualifying laps on the final day
- Renowned for consistently completing laps without ever leading one—a record 2,061 consecutive laps totaling over 5,152 miles
Championship Participation[]
During the years the Indianapolis 500 counted towards the FIA World Drivers’ Championship (1950–1953):
- Miller participated in four World Championship races, with two official starts (1951, 1952), though he scored no championship points.
- He drove a Kurtis Kraft chassis fitted with a Novi engine, but qualified only twice, finishing outside championship positions
Fatal Accident[]
On May 15, 1953, during a qualifying practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Miller was driving his Novi-engined car when he lost control entering Turn 1. The vehicle struck the outside wall nearly head-on, leading to a basilar skull fracture and fatal brain hemorrhage. He died the following day at the age of 50, becoming the first driver to be killed during a World Drivers’ Championship event.
Although Chet Miller never scored points or achieved notable finishes in the Formula One World Championship, his participation is a reflection of the unusual early years of the sport, when the Indianapolis 500 was part of the global calendar. His fatal crash in 1953 marked a somber milestone in F1 history, as he became the first driver to die during a World Championship event, even though it occurred on American soil, away from the European Grand Prix scene.
Formula One Statistical Overview[]
Formula One Record[]
| Year | Entrant | Team | WDC Points | WDC Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 |  Chet Miller
|
Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 0 | DNQ |
| 1951 | Chet Miller
|
Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 0 | Q |
| 1952 | Chet Miller
|
Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 0 | Q |
| 1953 | Chet Miller
|
Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 0 | DNQ |
Career Results[]
| Complete Formula One Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Pts | Pos | ||||||||||||||
| 1950 | 
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0 | NC | ||||||||||||||||
| DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1951 |
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0 | NC | |||||||||||||||
| Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952 |
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0 | NC | |||||||||||||||
| Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1953 | 
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0 | NC | ||||||||||||||
| DNQ [1] |
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| Key | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Meaning | Symbol | Meaning | ||
| 1st | Winner | Ret | Retired | ||
| 2nd | Podium finish | DSQ | Disqualified | ||
| 3rd | DNQ | Did not qualify | |||
| 5th | Points finish | DNPQ | Did not pre-qualify | ||
| 14th | Non-points finish | TD | Test driver | ||
| Italics | Fastest Lap | DNS | Did not start | ||
| 18th† | Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) | NC | Non-classified finish (<90% race distance) | ||
| 4thP | Qualified for pole position | [+] More Symbols | |||
Notes[]
- ↑ Fatal accident during practice