Gavin Miller found himself “rethinking everything” in April.
He entered his third full season with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota confident he could compete for the title. But after two finishes outside the top 10 to start the 2025 season, Miller knew something needed to change.
“Just rethinking my decisions and how I approach the next race going into it,” Miller said. “I think talking it through with everyone, even Beau (Binder, his crew chief), and trying to fix things I… I mean, no one is perfect. Just trying to minimize mistakes and put ourselves in positions not to have things like that happen, where we can finish on the podium every night or get a win out of it.”
That resulted in the 18-year-old Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports (KKM) driver returning with two straight runner-up finishes in Kansas and four podium finishes in the last five races overall, including another runner-up finish in the King of Coles finale at Coles County Speedway.
“After that weekend (in Kansas), I definitely built up my confidence,” Miller said. “I’ve definitely been an overthinker my whole life. I’ve definitely been in that slump of I’ve been thinking about it way too much, where I end up in that slump, and it takes me a long time to get out of it. Even weeks or maybe even months for me to even rebound from doing it…
“You need to be in the right headspace and mentally not giving up. Just reflecting on it is the big thing. You gotta be in the right headspace. The quicker you come back from it, the better results you’ll have in the next month of racing with [the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets]. It’s the biggest part, the get back from it.”
Injuries robbed Miller of a chance to compete for the title last year, further fueling his desire to put every effort into a championship run this year – currently sitting third in points, 105 points back from the lead. A key factor in that effort was his move from Pennsylvania to Indiana, where KMM is located, to be closer to the team.
Instead of showing up to the track on the weekends and seeing his crew for the first time when he arrived, Miller is in the shop, building relationships and communication with the team that’s supporting his mission.
“With going to the shop, I have a good relationship with everyone now,” he said. “Even the communication is better. The more you talk with people, the more you understand what they’re thinking. Just build a bond off of that. That’s what builds up speed: knowing what someone is going to do to the car, and just having a good atmosphere around you builds confidence and motivation. Everyone is getting along with each other right now, and everything is good right now. We just have to continue that.”
His growth in maturity has also influenced how he races. Miller knows he needs mistake-free nights. He knows he needs to study more. And he knows he needs to be methodical in how he puts an entire race night together.
“Now, I’m thinking a lot more about what I’m doing later in the race and not just going out and winging it,” Miller said. “Sometimes it works out for you, and sometimes it doesn’t. Just going into my third year now, it makes me think about what I’m going to do with my race craft-wise and line choices. Definitely what I’ve thought more about this year than any other year. Just being in the right spot and making sure you’re picking that right line to advance, or even find it before someone else does. That’s the biggest thing: if you don’t find that line before other people do you’re not going to win the race. You’re just not.”
He’ll look to put that to the test again at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park during the World of Outlaws St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff weekend, June 20-21. In five previous starts at the track with the Series, he’s earned a best finish of fourth and three top 10 finishes.
“I definitely enjoy it there,” Miller said. “I’ve ran decent there. There are some spots I have to improve my earlier night there to start us up front, but other than that, in the Feature there, I feel like we’ve ran pretty decent there and pulled off some decent finishes. It’s like any other track, you just have to tackle it, and having that mindset of you’re not going to win, you’re most likely not going to win. Treat it like every other track. It’s a little bigger, so you have to treat it with a little bit more respect.”
The event also serves as the halfway point for the 10-race Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series, where Miller currently sits sixth in points, 133 points back from the lead, and bills the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets with the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision, DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models and DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals.
In Miller’s five previous starts at I-55, the Midgets were always paired with 410 Sprint Cars. Now, being paired with Late Models, Miller said he thinks that could produce new variables for the track.
“I think the Late Models will get it slicker than it usually is,” he said. “Just have to be on our A-game there. Just looking at how slick it is going to get and changing up those lines. The line changes pretty quick there from all the way at the bottom to all the way at the top of the wall, going all the way up there. When you go up there, you have to really run it hard. I think the Late Models will get it a little slicker.”
No matter the conditions, he’ll plan, he’ll study, and he’ll enter with the mindset of a confident title contender.
To see Miller and the rest of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series drivers compete at I-55, get your tickets in advance by clicking here.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
