Since I was born I was training for this part of my life and didnt even know it!

Ok here’s how it breaks down. Back in 1995 my Dad bought a Harley. And I said if you get a bike, I get a bike. So he got me a 1995 Honda Xr100. And I started riding it at our ranch, without my mother knowing about it! And then the Harley shop he was doing business with asked him one day "hey, would you like to sponsor a race team?" He said "what kind of race team?" And they said "a Harley 883 road race team." So he got all the details from them, and he said "well who is the rider?" And they told him "Tom Shields." So he decided to run the whole race team instead of just be a sponsor. He did what it took to compete on a national level with parts and bikes and crew members. And that’s how I was introduced to racing.

This is where I come into the picture. This guy Tom Shields had raced motorcycles since a child.  His mother, Maxine Shields was the first professional woman racer in AMA! He grew up racing flat track, and mx, and road racing! So I meet this guy and he says "you want to learn how to ride huh?" And I said "yea!" So he comes up to my Dad’s ranch and he teaches me how to do flat track'n! I started getting the hang of riding a bike aggressively really quick! But at the time I didn’t understand the concept of "Flat Track'n". I was just leaning over like I was railing a rut that wasn’t there instead of coming in with speed and throwing the bike sideways to keep your momentum going around the corner! It's funny when I look back on it!
So I learned the basics of riding. So then it just so happens to be around Crimas of 95 when this is all taking place. And of course supercross starts up right after that. And the Houston Sx comes around and the autograph signing for team Kawasaki was at a Kawasaki shop in Houston called AJ Foyt Cycles where Tom Shield’s mother worked. So Tom says “hey you want to go to the Supercross?" And I said "what is that?" And he explained everything to me and I said "heck ya I’ll go!" So his wife and sister pick me up. And the 3 of us go to the hotel and pick up Jeff Emig, Damon Huffman, and Ryan Hughes! And I’m talking to these guys in the van; I got my skateboard with me. I’m just a punk kid that doesn’t know anything about any extreme sports. And at the time I didn’t even know who they were, or how good they raced. And we go to the shop, they sign their autographs and we take them back to their hotel. Saturday evening comes quick. We go to the races and I’m watching the event, and I tell my mom "some day I’m going to do this!" She said "over my dead body!" So it takes off from there.

I somehow end up convincing her to let me race dirt bikes! I start home schooling and started riding as much as I could! I was 15 years old when I started racing. I rode a 96 Kawasaki kx 80 through 97, until the new bikes came out in 98! I picked it up pretty good and soon because of my age I had to get on a 125 because I couldn’t race the 80 class anymore. I was extremely small for my age but I just threw my leg over it and dealt with it!
I haven’t had that many broken bones. I have only broken both of my wrists at the same time and got pins put in them that stuck out of the skin. And I broke my tibia in my leg right above the ankle. I have separated my right shoulder, and tore my spleen. And the only other thing is minor concussions. One thing my father always told me was to be quick to my feet, hit the ground and roll. And from riding bicycles growing up I have learned how to bail pretty good. It’s the times when you hit the face of a jump and come to a stop that grab you by the boo boo! Anyone that knows me will tell you that they have seen me get out of some knarly crashes!
I never was a rider that was winning every thing. I have won lots of races. And a few championships.  My first was the 80 beginner class at Ponca City! woo woo! I was always playing catch up in my career of racing. The kids that are on top in my generation of racing started when they were 3-5 years of age. I’ve always had to work twice as hard to be as good as everyone else due to when I started. And I keep progressing. Some day the time will come when I will realize I have reached a plateau and I’m just not going to get any faster. And it will be time to move on! But recently I have just reached the top class, racing the best riders in the United States. And I have just begun a new level of riding and I’m going to finish this final chapter of what I have been after since back in 96 when I was introduced to this wonderful sport.

Along the way of this part of my life I have met people that are very close to me that I will communicate with until I die. People that are like family to me, friends that are like brothers and sisters, parents that are like my own in another aspect! It is very family oriented, the people I have met around the country make you feel at home away from home. This sport keeps you motivated with yourself mentally, physically, emotionally with everything you do in life. Not just racing. I guess a good example would be like the military, they teach you discipline and that carries over to everything you do in life to help you be successful at whatever you do.
I’m very thankful for the opportunity that my parents have given me, along with the sponsor help that has been there along the way. I plan to keep on working toward achieving my goals in this sport and in life as I continue doing this. There is nothing more that I could ever wish different that I have done in the past 10 years of riding and racing motorcycles! People come and go, and get injured. And few have lost their lives in this sport. But we will never regret it!

Clayton Miller