On Saturday evening, Millican drove the Parts Plus/Great Clips/University of Northwestern Ohio Top Fuel dragster to an elapsed time of 3.663 at 329.10 mph. This put him in the top qualifying spot, set the Top Fuel E.T. record at Lucas Oil Raceway and became the seventh fastest Top Fuel pass ever.
“My confidence is now at an all-time high. I know when I get in that race car it can run with anybody here, at any time, without a question. Our car is quick as anybody’s in the world right now,” Millican said. “This is a tune up David Grubnic has been working on for three years. This is his tune up, not somebody else’s he is massaging. Grubby never quits thinking and never sits still.”
On top of setting the record and qualifying No. 1, Millican made five clean passes that earned him 11 bonus points, which were critical to securing a spot in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. He attributes his recent success to his crew.
“It’s all about the people. We have all the right people in the right place. It starts with Doug and works its way down to the kids working on this car. They’re an amazing group of young guys,” Millican said. “Every Sunday night we get the crew together to talk about what went right, why we won and why we lost. They work so hard without the recognition they deserve. They are the ones that make this car go. We have a heck of a team. I’m more confident in this car than any other car I’ve driven in my life.”
Unfortunately, Millican made in early exit on race day. In the first round Millican came up against No. 16 qualifier, Kebin Kinsley. While Millican made a great pass of 3.756/323.97, Kinsley took the win on a holeshot running 3.813/318.02.
“It was a close race and I had a .077 reaction time, but Kebin had a .014 light. Hats off to him on a good run,” Millican said.
At the end of the day, Millican clinched the No.7 spot in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.
Next up is the NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 15 – 17, 2017. This is the first race in the Countdown, so points are reset and the Parts Plus/Great Clips/UNOH team will start from the seventh position with six races to reach the number one spot.
About Stringer Performance
Established in 2015, Stringer Performance is entering its third year of competition in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series with veteran Top Fuel driver Clay Millican. Owned by Doug Stringer who has a lengthy resume in the racing industry in both NHRA and NASCAR, the team is based in McLeansboro, IL where Stringer resides. The team is led by crew chief David Grubnic, a former NHRA Top Fuel driver turned tuner. Stringer Performance proudly boasts a solid lineup of marketing partners including marquee partners: Parts Plus, Great Clips and UNOH.
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