It has been an up-and-down NHRA season so far for veteran Top Fuel driver Clay Millican.
Millican, however, has been trending upward the last three races, and that trend continued Friday at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.
Millican captured the provisional No. 1 qualifying position with his 3.786-second time at 325.06 mph in Q2.
“This team has absolutely been incredible. I mean, we were in a little struggle after testing, and then the next thing you know we start going rounds, we go to a final in Charlotte, go to the semis last week,” in Epping, N.H., Millican said. “Nicky Boninfante, he said it really good: ‘We’re going to win.’ And I like that. We’re going to win. It’s going to happen. And I got to tell y’all, I’m excited to do this for a lot of reasons. Obviously, when you qualify No. 1 with the monsters that we’re racing against these days, you’ve accomplished something.
“But I’m really proud because this is the first time, even provisional. First time I’ve qualified No. 1 with this guy present and I’m pointing over here to (teamowner) Mr. Rick Ware, and we are here because this guy loves drag racing. He makes a living over in the NASCAR world, but he loves drag racing, and he is always there even if he’s not here. But it’s really cool for me to do things that he hadn’t been a part of and the biggest thing he hasn’t been a part of yet is a win while being at the racetrack. That’s on my agenda for Sunday, just in case you’re wondering.”
If Millican keeps the No. 1 spot it would be his first of the season and 26th of his career. The last time Millican was the No. 1 was during the limited 2020 COVID-19 season when he was No. 1 at Indianapolis No. 2 and Gainesville, Fla.
“I will hate that I said this (Saturday) when I’m sitting in my firesuit in the sun, but I hope it’s 95 degrees,” Millican said. “I won’t be mad about that. I would love to stay the No. 1 qualifier right here at Bristol. That would be awesome. And when it comes to race day, last year, I would’ve told you I wanted it hot on race day, but I think we’ve now got a car, it doesn’t matter.”
Millican last won in 2023 with victories in Chicago, Denver and St. Louis.
Millican, a native of Drummonds, Tenn., has been racing at Bristol Dragway since he was a competitor in the sportsman ranks.
“I actually raced here when there was a dog leg — not in a Top Fuel car, but I do remember in my little Modified eliminator dragster, when you would make it through the dog leg in the shutdown area, you would make your 25-point turn to get around the corner,” Millican said. “The amount of change after Bruton Smith decided to do what he’s done here is incredible. But when I got here, so Tracey and Leigh are here, my sisters, they’re my No. 1 cheering section. Well, Leigh had never been here before, so we did the tour yesterday. This place is beautiful.
“I even took them down to the creek right over here where the sportsman guys are parked because I parked there and my two boys played in that creek and this was a long, long, long time ago. It’s just been a special place. I’m proud to call it my home track even though it’s 500 miles from my house. This is my home state, and I am born and bred Tennessee boy. I’ve had the opportunity to go to a lot of places. I’m still a sportsman guy at heart. I’m a Tennessee guy at heart and I’m proud of this place, proud of it.”
Millican then circled back to the original question from the media which was when did the intimidation factor wear off for Bristol Dragway – a question he didn’t hesitate to answer.
“Worn off yet? It is still intimidating. I still get wound up. Obviously, I’m up here running on adrenaline right now,” Millican said. “I think when that goes away is when it’s time to put your helmet up because I still get nervous. The story on that though, the real story is first qualifying runs. The butterflies are in there hot and heavy, and then they kind of go away and they’ll come back again big time before first round. But I still get wound up and nervous, and it’s what drives me. That opportunity to do from the time I put my helmet on until I get back to that pit area and see the people that work on this car, that is what drives me.
“It’s a crazy way to make a living, but I don’t know of anything else that I would ever wanted to have done. But it still comes down to being that kid who wanted to drive a Top Fuel car so bad — just never realized it’d be 26 years of doing it.”
Millican, who finished 11th in the 2023 season points standings, is upbeat about the recent progress of his team.
“Everything operates on people, and when your people are on it, you’ll be sitting in this chair right here, No. 1 qualifier,” Millican said. “And it doesn’t matter if it’s me making a mistake or one bolt that somebody missed, those are the things that’ll keep you from going rounds and that sort of thing. Now, yes, you can get into tune-up problems, but a tune-up problem goes back to people. And I love Jim O (Oberhofer) and Nicky, and I’m not saying anything bad.
“There are plenty of races that I’ve cost us. So, at the end of the day, people are the most valuable asset you have. No matter how many blocks and superchargers Rick buys for us, it’s the people that put it all together that is what makes these things go fast. And it’s also what makes this sport so special. It’s not just the people working on the car, but those people in the grandstands.”
