When Clay Millican is at the dragstrip, he’s at home. There are some tracks, however, that feel more like home than others.
For Millican, Norwalk has never been just another stop on the schedule. It’s where a rookie who struggled just to get through his first race grew into one of the facility’s most accomplished Top Fuel competitors. Over the years, he collected four IHRA victories there, celebrated one of the sport’s most recognizable winner’s circle moments and built friendships that remain as meaningful as the trophies.
Millican’s first race at Norwalk was one he’d just as soon forget. A rookie behind the wheel of Nick Boninfante Sr.’s Top Fuel dragster, he failed to qualify. The weekend might have faded into obscurity had he not managed to make a bit of history in the process.
“But I did set a record, I was told,” Millican said. “And that was an oil down from start to finish in both lanes.”
More than a quarter-century later, he still laughs at the memory. And, Millican has had many laughable moments.
“Yeah, my IHRA debut was not a memorable one for the track cleanup crew.”
The difficult beginning didn’t define his career. If anything, it became an early reminder that persistence would ultimately become his greatest asset. His first NHRA appearance wasn’t much smoother.
“Yeah, with a backwards burnout,” Millican said. “Exactly. Exactly. Hard head and persistence pays off, I guess.”
It certainly did, but by the time Millican established himself as one of the premier Top Fuel racers in IHRA competition, Norwalk had become one of those places where he expected to race deep into eliminations. The wins mattered, but it was the competition that kept bringing him back.
“It has been really good to me over the years, no doubt about it,” Millican said. “Man, some of the wins here were so big.”
When Clay Millican is at the dragstrip, he’s at home. There are some tracks, however, that feel more like home than others.
For Millican, Norwalk has never been just another stop on the schedule. It’s where a rookie who struggled just to get through his first race grew into one of the facility’s most accomplished Top Fuel competitors. Over the years, he collected four IHRA victories there, celebrated one of the sport’s most recognizable winner’s circle moments and built friendships that remain as meaningful as the trophies.
Millican’s first race at Norwalk was one he’d just as soon forget. A rookie behind the wheel of Nick Boninfante Sr.’s Top Fuel dragster, he failed to qualify. The weekend might have faded into obscurity had he not managed to make a bit of history in the process.
“But I did set a record, I was told,” Millican said. “And that was an oil down from start to finish in both lanes.”
More than a quarter-century later, he still laughs at the memory.
“Yeah, my IHRA debut was not a memorable one by the track cleanup crew.”
The difficult beginning didn’t define his career. If anything, it became an early reminder that persistence would ultimately become his greatest asset.
His first NHRA appearance wasn’t much smoother.
“Yeah, with a backwards burnout,” Millican said. “Exactly. Exactly. Hard head and persistence pays off, I guess.”
It certainly did. By the time Millican established himself as one of the premier Top Fuel racers in IHRA competition, Norwalk had become one of those places where he expected to race deep into eliminations. The wins were, but it was the competition that kept bringing him back.
“It has been really good to me over the years, no doubt about it,” Millican said. “Man, some of the wins here were so big.”
One victory still sits at the top of the list. It was the last time Clay and the IHRA raced in Norwalk.
“One of the ones that pops in my mind right away was when Cory Mac showed up with the car, and they were going to come over and clean house,” Millican recalled. “And they did, they qualified number one. They did all these things. But we left with the Iron Man that day.”
The victory produced something else that fans still remember. Millican learned a new way to celebrate victory.
“That was the original wing walk,” Millican said. “Climbed up, stood on the wing. Won’t never forget that.”
The celebration became part of Millican’s identity, but he insists the race itself is what made the day memorable. His memories span generations of Top Fuel competition.
“Cory Mac was awesome,” Millican said. “They were a good group to race with, but man, the battles we’ve had here over the years. I can remember racing Jim Head, obviously Bruce Litton, Doug Foley,” Millican said.
Then he summed up the Summit Motorsports Park in a sentence.
“This place has always been… It’s a mecca of drag racing. There ain’t no other way to put it.”
Millican believes the atmosphere starts long before engines fire. He credits the Bader family for creating an environment that racers want to return to year after year.
“Senior, Jr, Bobbie [Bader], the entire group that run this place, they’re second to none,” Millican said. “I mean, they’re hard to beat.”
That respect comes from decades of watching how the Bader Family approaches the sport. It’s as if Millican and the Baders are cut from the same cloth.
“They live it, breathe it every single day, and you can see it when you pull in the place,” Millican said. “I love it.”
Norwalk wasn’t the only place that helped shape Millican’s career, but it shared that distinction with another legendary IHRA stop.
“Probably here and Rockingham,” Millican said. “Rockingham, because we raced twice a year back in the day. Both of those places certainly made me feel comfortable enough that I knew I could make a living drag racing.”
Then came the self-deprecating humor that has long been part of Millican’s personality.
“Kind of like the guy that started Competition Plus, about the same time we both decided that we’re not very smart and we’re going to quit our jobs and go drag racing.”
For all the trophies he’s won and milestones he’s reached, one of Millican’s favorite reminders of Norwalk isn’t displayed in a trophy case. It’s a small section of concrete tucked alongside the grandstands.
“I do know this,” Millican said. “There’s a spot of concrete over there that belonged to Peter Lehman, which was team owner. That’s where my car lived every weekend we were here.”
The story behind it reflects the unique relationship racers shared with the late Bill Bader Sr.
“Bill Sr. loves the grass here, and we were buying plywood every time we came,” Millican said. “And Peter called and said, ‘Hey, can we pour asphalt in one spot so we don’t have to buy plywood?’ He’s like, ‘Nope, not putting no asphalt on my grass.'”
The conversation didn’t end the plea.
“And we said, ‘What about concrete?’ Bill said, ‘Well, concrete might be different.'”
Millican smiled before finishing the story.
“I think Peter hung up immediately and called the concrete company.”
That patch of concrete still sits where it was poured years ago. Thousands of fans have walked past it without realizing its significance.
Millican notices it every time he returns.
“You can go over there right now on the end of the grandstands, the first spot of concrete you see,” Millican said. “That’s ours.”
Then he caught himself.
“I’m going to claim it. It’s actually Peter Lehman’s, but I’m going to claim it.”
