“Waterbed” Fred Miller has watched his drag racing career come full circle in a matter of three decades. The former wrench for Raymond Beadle’s Blue Max Funny Car has experienced almost everything from serving as the bottom-end man on one of the sport’s most famous Funny Cars to peddling John Force diecast cars to his latest foray into marketing energy pills with Zantrex3.

It’s all good for Miller. He’s got more “been there, done that” tales than the average three decade tour veteran and that suits him well. Memories fuel the fires for a future.

The director of motorsports for Zantrex3, the major sponsor for Dave Grubnic, prefers to live in the present. But with a little prodding he’ll gladly spin those elusive yarns about the legendary Blue Max, a nickname that is only equaled by the Chi-town Hustler.

“Waterbed” Fred Miller has watched his drag racing career come full circle in a matter of three decades. The former wrench for Raymond Beadle’s Blue Max Funny Car has experienced almost everything from serving as the bottom-end man on one of the sport’s most famous Funny Cars to peddling John Force diecast cars to his latest foray into marketing energy pills with Zantrex3.

It’s all good for Miller. He’s got more “been there, done that” tales than the average three decade tour veteran and that suits him well. Memories fuel the fires for a future.

The director of motorsports for Zantrex3, the major sponsor for Dave Grubnic, prefers to live in the present. But with a little prodding he’ll gladly spin those elusive yarns about the legendary Blue Max, a nickname that is only equaled by the Chi-town Hustler.

When you think about it, Miller has seen a lot. In terms of the revolving-door crewmember scenario so often seen today, Miller was different, remaining with Beadle until the end. He’s survived by rolling with the punches.      

“It’s kind of a full circle and I’m sure I am one of the few still out here able to talk about those good old days,” Miller said. “After 34 years, I am on the sponsor end of things, which was the furthest thing from my mind when I started back in the 1970s.”

The end of the Blue Max era came at a time when Miller realized he was burned out by drag racing. He made the transition to NASCAR, all the while remaining under Beadle’s umbrella. Beadle owned the 1989 championship car driven by Rusty Wallace.

The diecast industry led to his eventual return to the quarter-mile and sponsor relations keeps him solidly in the game. That doesn’t mean that Miller doesn’t take a break from the game every once in a while to peruse the pits. Those walks serve as a constant reminder of just how far the sport has come.

“I love watching the younger guys out here doing their jobs in the high tech environment we know now,” Miller said. “I was glad to do it when I did in the era of the Prudhomme, McEwen, Garlits and Shirley. It was a lot more fun back then. Today things are centered on money, money and more money. It’s tough out here and it’s a hardcore business. We used to make our money in those days match racing.

“We got paid more in three runs than the national event paid. The first year I was with Raymond, we ran 105 dates. That should give you an idea just how grueling it was.”

“It was the glory days. It’s tough and these cars are so tough. There are a lot of smart guys out here now and there always have been. The fuel cars are like Pro Stock when you look at the ladder. Before you could just make a run and you were in there. Those days are gone.”

At least in reality, they are history. They still burn bright when he recollects his first gig working with Dale Emery on the Jeg’s Funny Car in 1973 and followed up with a stint with Billy Meyer.

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Meyer’s decision to chase land speed competition may have opened the greatest opportunity for Miller. Out of work, Miller contacted Harry Schmidt and Raymond Beadle about their new Blue Max operation. They hired Miller and he remained with the team until the end in 1989.

Beadle’s NASCAR program ended and once again, Miller was looking for work. If you’ve ever heard the term, when one door closes another opens, you could effectively apply it to Miller’s next career move.

“I was approached by Fred Wagenthalls with this idea of putting a car in a blister pack with a trading card under the name of Racing Champions,” Miller said. “They were going to sell it wholesale. It looked like a good opportunity because I was through racing. I got involved on the licensing end of things.”

Racing Champions eventually traveled another direction in its marketing plan, leaving Miller without a job. It didn’t take long before Wagenthalls reached Miller offering a position in his new Action Collectibles property.

Miller had a severe case of déjà vu when Bruton Smith purchased Action and once again saw the drag racing end of the company parked for NASCAR.

“I was out of a job again,” Miller said. “That’s when I got a call from Jim Oberhofer and Shirley Muldowney to discuss Basic Research and Zantrex3. They were looking to get into drag racing. Zantrex3 needed someone to head up their motorsports program and Jon and Shirley told them I was available. Bingo, here I am.”

Though he’s on the sponsor side of things, Miller can’t help that his tuning intuitions arise from time to time.

“I still pay attention to the cars and I still like to keep an eye on them. I find myself looking at them and speculating which direction I would go next round if I were the tuner. Sometimes I get in a situation where I think I know more than the guys over here and that is absurd. There are times I wish I didn’t know anything about the car and I was just watching as a sponsor. I know just enough to get myself in trouble. It’s great to be involved with a well-oiled team like the Kalittas.”

The lure of tuning and the lack of available tuners prompt second-guessing for Miller. After all, according to Miller, it was the Blue Max gang that brought crew notoriety to the forefront.

“The money factor is tempting,” Miller said of the lure. “Back when we were racing, we were lucky because we started the fad of crew getting attention and knowing our names. When you looked at the Blue Max, you knew Dale Emery and Fred Miller. I always wanted to ensure the crew guys got recognition.

“I was asked if I ever had the desire to drive, but back in those days there were dozens of drivers and cars and few to turn the wrenches. The drivers made very little money while the crew guys did well for themselves. Why would I have wanted to forfeit a good payday and burn myself to the ground? That part didn’t appeal to me. I am glad to see the crew chiefs making the money today. Austin Coil and Alan Johnson earn their big money because they are worth it.

“Those teams are nothing without them. They might as well stay home. You and I might as well go run a car because we could do as well as those teams without them. They are worth every penny of it. Believe me.”