The "BME 001" made its debut at the recently completed NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. 

This first in-house dragster from Bill Miller Engineering -- a collaboration among chassis designer Don Long, builder Bob Tobin, and Miller -- broke on the burnout Friday evening, spoiling its debut and leaving driver Troy Buff to wait until Saturday to make the Top Fuel field. The new black beauty from the shop at Carson City, Nev., carried Buff into the field, in the 16th and final position, on Saturday's first (the event's second overall) session. However, he slipped back into the unqualified ranks by Saturday evening, 18th out of 19 racers. He'll have two chances Sunday to climb back into the mix for Monday's eliminations.  

No matter what, Buff has to be more comfortable than ever in the car. He's 5-foot-6 inches tall, and the car was designed for former BME driver Dave Grubnic, who's 6-3. And Grubnic wasn't the previous driver. After Grubnic came Brady Kalivoda, Bobby Lagana, and Alan Bradshaw -- all of whom drove the same car.

The "BME 001" made its debut at the recently completed NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. 

This first in-house dragster from Bill Miller Engineering -- a collaboration among chassis designer Don Long, builder Bob Tobin, and Miller -- broke on the burnout Friday evening, spoiling its debut and leaving driver Troy Buff to wait until Saturday to make the Top Fuel field. The new black beauty from the shop at Carson City, Nev., carried Buff into the field, in the 16th and final position, on Saturday's first (the event's second overall) session. However, he slipped back into the unqualified ranks by Saturday evening, 18th out of 19 racers. He'll have two chances Sunday to climb back into the mix for Monday's eliminations.  

No matter what, Buff has to be more comfortable than ever in the car. He's 5-foot-6 inches tall, and the car was designed for former BME driver Dave Grubnic, who's 6-3. And Grubnic wasn't the previous driver. After Grubnic came Brady Kalivoda, Bobby Lagana, and Alan Bradshaw -- all of whom drove the same car. 

"We've been running with the old car for a long time," Miller conceded. "We've managed to shorten the foot box 18 inches, which makes the car much more flexible. We've moved the engine out about four inches and done some other modifications to the chassis." 

Miller cited John Force Racing, Don Schumacher Racing, and Kalitta Motorsports for controlling their own car construction with either an in-house program or their own arrangement in design. 

"If everybody had the money and he capability, they'd build their own cars," the manufacturer of pistons, rings, rods, pins, and superchargers said.  He cautioned, though, "It's  double-edged sword. You don't get the benefit of building 50 cars a year." A builder such as Brad Hadman, he said for example, discovers that "each one is a modification of the previous one. So you learn a little her and a little there. The cars get a little bit different and a little bit better as it proceeds." With one's own program, he said, "you keep a lot in-house, but you don't learn what other people are doing."    

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