GT Academy kicks off in less than a week, marking the series 4th year in North America. To commemorate this year, I got the opportunity to talk to 2013 GT Academy Champion Nick McMillen. In 2013, Nick was a Volkswagen salesperson who sacrificed his job to have a chance of fulfilling his dream. After taking the victory in GT Academy, he also took the class victory in the 24H of Dubai, and now he is racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series. You can see the exciting conclusion to the 2013 GT Academy season in the video below.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pcyIPeU0pQ[/youtube]
Will: First off, I would like to congratulate you on your success in the 2013 GT Academy, and on your victory in Dubai. How did it feel being on a team with three other GT Academy victors at the 24H of Dubai, and not only that, but also be able to compete and finish first in your class?
Nick: Thank you very much. It was very cool! To be honest, I didn’t expect to take the win. There were a couple cars that appeared to be faster than us. My goal in the race was to focus on running fast, consistent laps.
Lucas Ordonez was definitely a great asset for not only myself, but also the three other 2013 Academy champions (Miguel Faisca, Florian Strauss, and Stansislav Aksenov), due to the fact that he has gone through all this. He’s the first GT Academy winner and has proven himself, as well as helping all the past winners get off their feet.
Our sister car’s team also was a big help to us, with those drivers being seasoned veterans. With them knowing the ins and outs of racing, them being able to gives us tips was great.
Will: Now, I’d like to get on to talking about how you prepared for the Academy. How did you get started in Sim Racing?
Nick: I started playing Gran Turismo when I was little. I just enjoyed the racing, and then I got involved in the community at GTPlanet, and enjoyed racing in the S.N.A.I.L. Spec league online.
Will: What setup did you use at home to prepare?
Nick: I had a Logitech G27 wheel and pedal setup, with a custom metal tube chassis, but I didn’t really have a seat for it. I had one of those seats from IKEA to use.
Will: Yeah, definitely, and I also think that really paid off in your final race, having to fight your way up from behind.
Nick: Exactly. For that final race, I qualified second, right behind Chris (Hill), and completely botched the start. For me, my mind immediately went to “Well, there it goes, it’s over.” I knew I was faster than Brian (Marsteller) and I had to make that pass. I knew from my motocross experience that if I took too long to make the pass, I knew Chris would get away, and any shot I’d have would be gone. I had to make sure I kept a cool head and did what I cold to get around Brian.
I got by him, but Chris had pulled away. I kept running as fast and consistently as I could, and hoped he would make a mistake. Fortunately for me, Chris made a mistake in the third or fourth corner, and I was able to get by him.
Will: When did it actually hit you, that you WON GT Academy?
Nick: When I passed Chris, I was thinking, “It’s gonna actually happen.” It was like, I won the race and GT Academy, but that feeling of actually winning and realizing what I’m actually doing didn’t hit me until the plane ride home from Dubai. I don’t know why, everyone asks me, but that moment hit me like, “Whoa, I’m actually doing this, I just won at Dubai!” and I was just thinking about what I did, the process I had been through, winning. I guess it was after seeing a real result that I just kinda had that moment, a wow factor I guess.
Will: Yeah, I can see how that makes sense. Everything leading up to your race at Dubai could have been seen as training in a sense.
Nick: Exactly. Even starting back at the time trials in the Gran Turismo 6 demo, it can be seen as a training exercise, going through the process and the trials, with the goal in sight. Even the final race can be seen as a practice race of sorts. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a real race, with a very real reward, but it’s a very different feel to standing at the top of a podium, in a different country, against guys who are actually trying to compete for a championship. When I was at Dubai, on the podium, it just felt… “Real”.
Will: Did you have any sim racing experience outside of Gran Turismo to help prepare?
Nick: I didn’t really have any sim experience outside of Gran Turismo, just mainly stuck to that on the virtual side. I did have some real life karting experience, and some track driving, that may have helped give me a bit of a seat of the pants experience.
Will: Did you make any friendships with other competitors that are still going?
Nick: I had made it to the 2012 National Finals, and one of the best friendships I made was with Brian Marsteller, and also I got along with Dan Reude, since the three of us were from the Northwestern US. We all lived within an hour of each other (Brian lives 45 minutes away). We bonded in San Diego, and when none of us made it to Silverstone that year, we made a pact to make it there the next year. All three of us were able to make it to Silverstone, and Brian and I made it to the finals. In 2013, I got along well with Tyrell Meadows. We all check up on each other to see how we’re doing.
Will: It’s definitely a cool thing to see racers meeting each other face to face, sort of gives a whole new perspective on things.
Nick: Yeah. You sometimes race these people online, and get to know them in that sense, but when you meet them in person, it’s a different situation. I spent a week, well essentially two, with the other racers in the Academy, when you factor in both Silverstone and the finals. You find your clique, per se, but you definitely form a friendship with everyone there, but just better friends with certain people. With Brian and Dan, our bond formed with us being from the same area, but with Tyrell, I feel it was because we were teammates on our first day.
Will: If you could have anything fall into place, and have the opportunity to race whatever series or race you wanted, what would you want to give a try?
Nick: I would say that I’d want to be at the top of whatever series I’m in. I’d want to race in the 24 hours of Le Mans in an LMP1 car, and then maybe head to Formula One, which people have seen Jann Mardenborough is on the route to.
Will: Yeah, I could see how Lucas could be a role model for you, with him racing the LMP2 car at Le Mans
Nick: Definitely. Lucas has finished third and second in class at the 24H, and that’s just amazing to think about, looking at where he’s come from, and the path he has paved for other GT Academy winners.
Will: It’s definitely remarkable thinking that there are now effective ways to get from the couch, to the cockpit, and actually be successful.
Nick: Yeah, there is a lot of talent out there, that would likely go unnoticed due to lack of exposure or lack of funds. The Academy program proves that there is real talent out there in the virtual world that can carry over to reality.
Will: How does it feel now that people are starting to see you as a role model, looking at what you have accomplished and have that inspire them?
Nick: It’s great to see, and it’s more like the support that people give and that they believe in you, that’s probably the coolest part. I try to be involved in the forums, on social media, like Facebook and Youtube. I like being social, don’t want to just be that guy that races and nothing else. The fact that I won doesn’t really change who I am, I still like to goof off, play Gran Turismo from time to time, and BS with guys on the forums. I still like being an inspiration, and helping other guys achieve their goals and realize their dreams.
Will: Is there any place in specific where we can keep updated on your journey and see your progress as you go through your career?
Nick: I have my own page on Facebook, which I keep updated, and I also have a thread on GTPlanet’s GT Academy section, called “My Journey: 2013 US GT Academy Champion“, which I keep updated with my progress and updates. I’ll also answer any questions that people may have, and just try to be there for people. I’ve also been able to write some articles on GTPlanet’s front page.
(You can check Nick’s latest post here)
Will: When you look back at your journey and what you’ve been through, where you have come from, and where you are now, what would you say if your favorite part?
Nick: I would say it’s looking at what I’ve done and how it’s paid off. I now am able to race a Nissan GT-R GT3 race car, and even a road GT-R is an awesome thing. It’s also cool seeing what I was doing before, thinking I was doing well, and now looking at myself and seeing how much I’ve improved as a driver as well.
I would like to thank Nick McMillen for the taking the time to speak with me. On behalf of Inside Sim Racing, we would like to wish you the best of luck in your career, and congratulate you on your accomplishments so far! We look forward to see what you do next.