Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin, who have a combined seven NHRA Pro Stock championships, and Top Fuel racer Clay Millican are the new faces of the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH).

In a Tuesday announcement, UNOH President Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis called the trio “the 2016 UNOH power team.”

That ends the longtime partnership between UNOH and Top Fuel owner-driver Terry McMillen that began in December 2010.

For McMillen, the mutual decision to part ways with the entrepreneurial, not-for-profit university located at Lima, Ohio, came in late October during the NHRA national event at Las Vegas.

UNOH had entered a marketing association with Valvoline, which presented a conflict of interest for McMillen’s Hoosier Thunder Motorsports.

The team’s primary sponsor is Amalie Oil, which announced Nov. 8 at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) at Las Vegas that it has extended its agreement with McMillen through 2019. The relationship began in 2000 and is belied to be the longest current motorsports partnership.

"It just one of those business decisions that happen from time to time,” McMillen said. “When UNOH switched to Valvoline, it only made sense that the college moved to teams that were on the Valvoline program. The Elite Motorsports team and Clay would be my first pick if I was in a similar situation."

McMillen said he’s “excited about our continued relationship with Amalie. The Amalie name has been synonymous with quality oil and lubrication since 1903, and we’re proud to play a part in their tremendous growth through 2019.”

He has completed the move of his race shop from Elkhart, Ind., downstate to Brownsburg, where his landlord is fellow Top Fuel racer Larry Dixon. Crew chief Rob Wendland, who had been offered a position with another nitro-class organization late in the 2015 season, opted to stay with McMillen.

McMillen’s team will bring back its iconic alligator theme but the “Instigator” name will change. It will reveal the new nickname in January.

Meanwhile, UNOH is moving forward with its partnership with Elite Motorsports and with Stringer Performance.

“Everyone at UNOH is extremely excited about the upcoming season with of Erica, Jeg Jr., and Top Fuel driver Clay Millican,” Jarvis said.

Ditto for Enders and Coughlin.

“We’re really happy to add UNOH to our family of sponsors,” Enders said. “I certainly understand the passion these students have for motorsports, because I grew up the same way, knowing this is what I wanted to do for a career.

“Motorsports is a huge business, and we need PR and marketing people, team managers, engineers, financial experts, and designers just as much as we need drivers and mechanics. UNOH helps people on every level.”

Coughlin said, “I think it’s really exciting to have an institute of higher education offer programs for young people interested in the motorsports industry. Being from Ohio, we are very familiar with UNOH and the great work they do educating the next generation of professionals, and we hope to continue to expand the UNOH brand from coast to coast.

“Meeting with UNOH V.P. of Corporate Development Steve Farmer and hearing the curriculum they offer students interested in the racing industry left me very impressed,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting many of these young men and women throughout the drag racing season.”

UNOH was founded in 1920 and offers five colleges within the university — Applied Technologies, Business, Health Professions, Occupational Professions, and the Graduate College. Students can choose from more than 60 different fields of study, including masters, baccalaureate, associate, and diploma programs. UNOH also offers a variety of athletic entities, including six co-ed motorsports teams.

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