1923 Miller 122 Race Car

'Count' Louis Zborowski's father, Elliott, had given himself that title. He then married an Astor, a Baroness by marriage who was divorced earlier that same day by her Baron. Elliott was a bold horseman who became a racing driver, winning his first contest for the Daimler team in 1902. He suffered a fatal collision one year later in a Mercedes.

Count Louis Zborowski's dream of a place on the Mercedes factory team came true for the 1924 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. So did his premonition of suffering his father's fate. Count Zborowski crashed so heavily on the 43rd lap that his car disintegrated and his skull fractured. His riding mechanic walked to the ambulance.

At Indianapolis, Count Louis Zborowski was introduced to the Miller race cars while he was competing as a member of the Bugatti Team, leading to a request that Miller build a Grand Prix racer for him to race in Europe. Miller Works set about converting and replacing the engines in three Miller Durant 183 racers with the Miller 122 (2 liters) engines. Grand Prix rules required 2-liter engines and a two-man configuration.

When the cars arrived in England at Count Z's 'home' track, Brooklands, the Count took delivery of chassis 15, formerly known as Durant Special number 4. Argentine playboy Martin de Alzaga took the remaining two, keeping the fastest for himself and handing the other to 1922 Indy champ Jimmy Murphy. All had problems, such as unwieldy steering and brakes too fragile for the road courses they faced.

With his 'new' Miller 122 GP car, Count Zborowski began the 1923 Grand Prix season entering - but not running - two events at Brooklands. He started the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 9 but retired from the race after breaking a rod. On the 29th, Count Z returned to England, scoring a win and second at Brooklands. He entered the October 28 Spanish Grand Prix, finishing 50 seconds behind Albert Divo, a flat tire at the finish dashing hopes of an end-of-season victory.

His last race with the Miller was the 1924 French Grand Prix on August 6th, where he had major mechanical issues and did not finish. He sold the car, and it raced in Southport, England, and later Brooklands. It was exported and raced in New Zealand, then Australia, and later to Germany and Switzerland. It was returned to Germany, where it raced in vintage events such as Nurburgring, as well as Goodwood England. The race was acquired by its present owner and returned to the United States in May of 2012.

This is the only Grand Prix Miller remaining and the first American racecar bought solely to race in Europe.