INDIANAPOLIS — When Adam Vinatieri finally stops kicking for the Indianapolis Colts, he will have more time to go racing.

Not literally behind the wheel, although he wouldn’t mind taking a spin, but as a team-ownership partner with three-time Indianapolis 500 qualifier Dr. Jack Miller. The suburban neighbors have formed Miller Vinatieri Motorsports and will race Miller’s 15-year-old son, Jack William MIller, in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda next year in the Mazda Road to Indy developmental system.

Vinatieri has a son who before moving onto other sports enjoyed go-kart racing with Jack William.

“Dr. Jack has aspirations to have his son win the ‘500,’” Vinatieri said. “My aspirations were, 'Please don’t get my kid in an accident.'

"I think every kid loves fast cars, and I think one of the first time I was in one of the garages (at IMS) during the week of the Indy 500 and watching all that stuff, it's addictive to watch, to see all that horsepower and watch them run around the track and see how the pit crew does all its stuff, it's pretty awesome."

Miller was once known as “The Racing Dentist” with Indy 500 starts in 1997, 1998 and 1999. His best finish was 20th in 1997.

“That was probably the happiest day of my life when I made the ‘500,’” Miller said. “My son talks about wanting to win it."

Vinatieri, the NFL’s oldest player at 45, reiterates he won’t be doing any of the driving.

“Adam Vinatieri is part of the team, but he is not in the car,” he said, smiling. “I think part of my contract doesn’t allow me to get in there.”

But then he shrugs and adds, “A couple of years from now, maybe I’ll jump in a car and rip around the track. We’ll see.”

That is, if the NFL’s all-time field goal leader, at 568 makes and counting in his 23rd season, can ever walk away from football.

“We’re going to put him in a car as soon as he’s done playing,” Miller said of Vinatieri. “Who knows when that will be? It might be 20 years from now with the way he’s going.”

Miller and Vinatieri met through a satellite dish installer. The kicker had just signed with the Colts in 2006 and moved about two miles from Miller on the north side of Indianapolis. An avid hunter, Vinatieri was looking for a shooting range. The satellite dish installer knew Miller had one on his expansive property.

“We just became good friends over the years,” Miller said. “We’ve gone hunting together, fishing, vacationing. I turned him onto a Ferrari where I bought my Ferraris and he bought his Ferraris and we’d go out and have fun with those. Our sons would play together and go fishing and do a lot of fun stuff.”

And for a race team looking for sponsors, who better to help provide exposure and positive publicity than a four-time Super Bowl winner who almost certainly will one day be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

“The name recognition is important and Adam is kind of like a second father to Jack,” Miller said. “He talks to Jack and the other drivers who drive for me about the mental aspect of racing, how to keep a cool head, how to react and behave if something doesn’t happen, if you go off track or get in an accident and how you still have to maintain your coolness.

“He says in most sports, the majority is mental other than the physical or skills part of it. I think Adam has proven that year after year after year, with the amount of pressure that’s on him to win games. Our sponsors sure like having Adam on board. They see the name and it helps their products and services to be associated with someone like Adam, a future Hall of Famer and just a really good person.”

Jack William Miller had the opportunity to test a USF2000 car during the Chris Griffis Memorial Test Sept. 22-23 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It feels great; there’s nothing quite like racing here and the essence and getting on the oval, you can really see that 100 years of history that’s around here,” he said. “It’s such a great community everywhere around the Speedway.”

Unlike his father, who got a late start and didn’t race anything until 26, the son started racing at an early age and has been coached by such past and present INDYCAR drivers as Alex Tagliani, Jay Howard, Scott Goodyear and Gabby Chaves. The younger Miller is understandably ecstatic to be able to represent his father and Vinatieri.

“It means a lot to drive for them with all the experience that my dad has with being a businessman and team owner,” the young driver said, “and it also helps with bringing in a big family with Adam Vinatieri being part of our team and all around two people who are great at the sport that they played. They’re really good mentors for me and shows me what I can be and what I need to strive for.”

Dr. Miller says he looks forward to the day when Vinatieri can spend more time at the race track. He also suggests his partner could hop into action as a member of the pit crew.

“It will be neat having Adam change tires for Jack in the ‘500’ some day,” Miller said.

Vinatieri laughed and quickly shook his head.

“No, they have more qualified people to do that,” he said. “They’d better.”