Clay Millican will race in 2008 as part of an operation funded by Memphis, Tenn.-based businessman and Top Sportsman racer Mark Pickens, owner and operator of Motorvation, a leading manufacturer of performance products.

Pickens procured Millican's contract from the Knoll Gas Motorsports operation through Evan Knoll.

The team anticipates racing anywhere from five to eight races in 2008. The debut race for the team will take place at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Clay Millican will race in 2008 as part of an operation funded by Memphis, Tenn.-based businessman and Top Sportsman racer Mark Pickens, owner and operator of Motorvation, a leading manufacturer of performance products.

Pickens procured Millican's contract from the Knoll Gas Motorsports operation through Evan Knoll.

The team anticipates racing anywhere from five to eight races in 2008. The debut race for the team will take place at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

"We're out there beating the bushes for the backing," Millican said. "This is just a great opportunity for us to get back out there and race. I'm excited about working with Mark Pickens. We've kind of kept this hush-hush until all the details were ironed out. I've really and truly missed being out there racing.

"Working with Mark on this has been a learning experience. I always knew there were a lot of details that went into putting together a Top Fuel team. This has been a real on the job training experience."

Millican's last outing in NHRA Top Fuel was the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. He was expected to make sporadic appearances in competition this year when Knoll announced he'd be suspending Torco Race Fuels sponsorships as well as the competition of his personal teams. A month ago, Knoll parked his team enabling Millican and his team to pursue "other opportunities" in drag racing.