Clay Millican President's Cup Nationals summary

Millican Gets 8th Top Fuel Victory of the Season at IHRA President's Cup Nationals Budds Creek, Md. - September 28, 2003 - Clay Millican of Team Werner/Lehman Racing, the 2001 and 2002 IHRA Top Fuel Champion and winningest Top Fuel driver in IHRA ...

Millican Gets 8th Top Fuel Victory of the Season at IHRA President's Cup Nationals

Budds Creek, Md. - September 28, 2003 - Clay Millican of Team Werner/Lehman Racing, the 2001 and 2002 IHRA Top Fuel Champion and winningest Top Fuel driver in IHRA history, won his 8th race of the season and the 28th of his career at the IHRA President's Cup Nationals at the Maryland International Raceway. [smallcarnorwalk.jpg]

This victory avenged Millican's only loss of the 2002 season, which came in the first round at last year's President's Cup Nationals, where Millican lost to Jack Ostrander. The loss cost Team Werner a perfect season of 12 wins.

Millican claimed the number one qualifying position with an elapsed time of 4.680 seconds at 312.13 mph, which he clocked in Friday night's qualifying round. In the first round of eliminations he faced number eight qualifier Roger Dean. Dean did not show up to the starting line, and Millican cruised to a first round win with an elapsed time of 4.740 at 288.64 mph.

In the second round, Millican faced number four qualifier Josh Starcher. Starcher broke after the burnout, and Millican made the pass in 7.847 seconds at 93.44 mph. [Millicanheadshot.jpg]

In the final round, Millican faced number two qualifier Bruce Litton. Both drivers had trouble during the pass, with Litton losing traction and Millican smoking his tires shortly after, but Millican was able to make the quicker pass, with an elapsed time of 7.385 to Litton's 11.107. This marked Millican's 100th round win in IHRA competition, and his 13th victory over Litton in IHRA final rounds.

"Today was wild and crazy, and I was just glad when the win light came on in the final round," said Millican. "Luckily, our Goodyear belt stayed on, but unfortunately, Bruce's belt didn't. I definitely felt like this race track owed us one after last year, and it gave us a win today, so I'm very happy."

Millican is on his way to a third straight IHRA Top Fuel Championship, and with this victory he increased his points lead over second-place Litton. His next IHRA race will be the elimination rounds of the IHRA Spring Nationals, which were rained out in March, and will be contested before the IHRA World Finals in Rockingham, N.C., on October 17-19.