Robin Miller

Robin Lee Miller (October 27, 1949 – August 25, 2021) was an American motorsports journalist. Miller was best known for being a writer at The Indianapolis Star from 1968–2001. He also wrote for Autoweek, Car and Driver, ESPN and Speed. At the time of his death, he was a correspondent and senior writer for RACER magazine and website, while also reporting on IndyCar Series broadcasts for NBCSN.

Racing career Miller first visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1957, and attended his first Indianapolis 500 in 1959. In 1968, at the age of 18, he got to "stooge" for his driving hero Jim Hurtubise In almost every year from 1978 to 1997, he served as the emcee of the popular Last Row Party. Miller also wrote and reported occasionally about NASCAR, including extensive coverage of the Brickyard 400. Following the 1996 open wheel split, Miller was highly critical of the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George. For this, he drew considerable ire from many locals and from various city leaders, but likewise gained a considerable following from CART supporters. However, he typically stopped short of directly criticizing most of the actual IRL drivers and crew members, explaining that most were hard-working and passionate about their sport, and merely intermixed in a political situation that was largely out of their control. He lost his radio show on WIBC and television job at Channel 13 for his anti-George stance. Eventually, after the department reorganized, Miller's duties shifted from columnist to focus solely on auto racing.

In January 2001, Miller was fired from the Star. The reasons given for his release were violations of the company's e-mail policy as well as the ethics policy. and that behind the scenes, the Speedway would accept The Star as a business partner only if Miller was fired.

Even though his main focus was IndyCar, Miller also would break big news in the NASCAR world. Through a high source within the sport, Miller was told that RJ Reynolds was leaving NASCAR at the end of 2003. Which meant that Winston would no longer be the title sponsor for NASCAR. Miller would also break the news that Brian France would replace Mike Helton the following year.

Miller was asked later on about these reports by one of his colleagues, Marty Smith, who mainly covered NASCAR at that time. Smith asked how Miller, who doesn’t make NASCAR his priority of writing in racing, broke two of the biggest stories NASCAR has had in a decade. Miller responded by saying,”I’m an old guy Marty, I have friends.” Miller would never say who that source was.

Versus / NBC Sports Network Starting in 2011, Miller served as an analyst for IndyCar coverage on Versus/NBC Sports Network. His duties included pre-race interviews, commentary, and various pit/garage area reports. At the 2011 Iowa Corn 250, he helped start the popular "grid walk" feature. He later served on the NBC telecasts of the Indianapolis 500 after NBC gained rights to the race in 2019.

Personal life Miller graduated from Southport High School in Indianapolis and flunked out of Ball State University "after two very enjoyable quarters." and stated that the worst moment in his career was when he lost his friend Art Pollard during practice for the Indy 500 in 1973. He died in Indianapolis on August 25, 2021, at age 71. His death came twelve days after he was honored at a special Hall of Fame induction ceremony during the Brickyard weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Legacy Miller was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America as part of the class of 2021. He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2022 as a journalist.

After his death, Miller was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash award by Governor Eric Holcomb, the highest honor presented to a citizen of Indiana by the governor.