Top Fuel driver Clay Millican loves to be behind the wheel competing for NHRA national event wins.
Millican, a fan favorite, had to sit out the last event on NHRA’s Camping World Drag Racing Series – the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio – with an inner ear infection.

Austin Prock filled in for Millican in the Stringer Performance and advanced to the semifinals before losing to eventual event champion Steve Torrence.

Now, is eager more than ever to be back driving at the Dodge//SRT Mile-High Nationals NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil on July 16-18 in Morrison, Colo., just outside of Denver.

“I’m 100% ready to go,” Millican said. “I can’t wait.”

Millican slowed to 7.301 seconds in Q1 Friday, but it didn’t dampen his enthusiasm to be back at Bandimere Speedway.

Millican has competed at the Bandimere Speedway for years and his last trip to the track at the 2019 Mile-High Nationals he lost in the final round to Steve Torrence.

Torrence clocked a 4.044-second run to defeat Milllican’s 4.126-second lap.

The 2020 Mile-High Nationals were canceled because of the COVId-19 pandemic.

“I’m very much looking forward to stomping on that loud pedal this weekend,” Millican said.

The elevation of Bandimere Speedway is 5,800 feet, easily the highest elevation NHRA’s Top Fuel drivers will compete at during the season.
Although the high altitude of the track is something Millican is aware of, it is not something he’s worrying about behind the wheel.

“As a driver (the higher elevation) doesn’t change anything we do,” Millican said. “The hard part and the hard is certainly on the team and the tuner and the crew to try and make the changes necessary to keep up with the ever-changing altitude here because this place is definitely located in such a spot that it is difficult. The air is thin. You have a lot of altitude.

“For me as a driver, it is really the same once the car is started and running. I think it is one of the most unique racetracks anywhere. It is such a cool, beautiful location and the layout is awesome. It is unbelievable what the Bandimere family has done here.”
At the Mile-High Nationals, two of the three qualifying sessions are at 8 p.m. (MDT), which Millican relishes.

“I wish we had races at night, I’m a nighttime person,” Millican said. “I don’t like getting up early in the morning. I wish we had complete races at night. People love the header flames. They the excitement of watching these cars go down the racetrack at night. I do this a lot on my show on Facebook Live that if I were NHRA president for a day, we would definitely have some nighttime races. I love nighttime.
“We made a lot of night runs in the IHRA (where Millican was a six-time champion) and I just enjoy them.”

Millican enters the Mile-High Nationals 11th in the points standings. He has two semifinal finishes at Las Vegas and Houston. His elimination-round record in 5-6.

“It is pretty simple, I want to turn on win lights and make a run for that championship,” Millican said. “I want to get ourselves in position to make a run for that championship. That’s definitely the goal. One run at a time, one win light at a time and the rest of it will take care of itself.”