Clay Millican barely had a break from the autograph seekers Saturday morning to squeeze in an interview. That’s to be expected when the good ol’ boy from Drummonds, Tenn., returns to the place where, for a stretch of IHRA history, he practically owned the joint.
Millican competed in 14 IHRA national events at Rockingham Dragway from 2000 through 2006, reached 12 final rounds and won 11 times. Six consecutive IHRA Top Fuel championships only strengthened his connection with a fan base that clearly hasn’t forgotten him.
“Oh, yeah. It’s bright and early, but the people in this area have not forgot the kind of run that I had here at this place,” Millican said. “And I’ve always credited, I have a house because of this racetrack right here.”
Rockingham was more than another stop during Millican’s IHRA domination. He won nine consecutive events here before Cory McClenathan finally stopped the streak at the 2006 Spring Nationals, then Millican returned later that year and won again.
“I’ve had more success here, hands down, than any other place I’ve ever raced at,” Millican said. “This place has just been special to me.”
Some of the old information apparently remains useful.
Millican received a text this week from former crew chief Mike Kloeber telling him where to position the car in Rockingham’s left lane and where to drive it.
“He said, ‘Because that left lane’s won us a lot of money,’” Millican said.
Returning to Rockingham also brought back memories that predated the Top Fuel championships. Millican spent part of Thursday riding around the property remembering where he once parked among the pine trees while competing in Top Dragster and Modified Eliminator.
“We raced Top Dragster and Modified Eliminator the same weekend,” Millican said. “And it made me remember we had a nitrous solenoid stuck closed and I got my butt kicked first round.”
The fans remember the Top Fuel trophies. Millican remembers that, plus the broken parts, pine trees and everything that came before anyone expected him to become one of IHRA’s most dominant racers.
And there is something about the name itself.
“I always love coming here because I just feel like it’s such a motorsport name,” Millican said. “Forget drag racing. If you say Rockingham, you just think race cars. It’s something about that name. It’s just Rockingham, The Rock. There’s just something special about it.”
