Reading2: Clay Millican eliminations summary

Millican advances to third semi-final appearance this season at NHRA Nationals

Reading, Pa. - October 5, 2003 - Clay Millican of Team 104+ Octane Boost/Lehman Racing advanced his Top Fuel dragster to the semi-final round at the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway for the third time this season. His two previous appearances in the semi-finals came at the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., and the Southern Nationals in Atlanta.

Millican qualified in twelfth position going into Sunday's eliminations. He faced number five qualifier Cory McClenathan in the first round, and both drivers smoked the tires and had problems throughout the quarter-mile pass. Millican came out on top, however, with an elapsed time of 7.626 at 198.85 mph, while McClenathan coasted to the finish line in 8.152 seconds.

In the second round, Millican won against Scott Kalitta, the number four qualifier. Kalitta smoked the tires, while Millican made the pass free of problems, and got the fourth quickest elapsed time of his career, a 4.542.

Millican faced number one qualifier Tony Schumacher in the semi-finals. Millican had a better reaction time with 0.049 seconds to Schumacher's 0.065, but a burst of flame popped out of his engine around the 1,000-foot mark. Schumacher won the round with an elapsed time of 4.449, while Millican finished in 4.951 seconds.

"Overall, I'm pretty proud of how we did today," said Millican. "The car is responding to everything that Crew Chief Mike Kloeber is doing to it. I am confident that the 104+ Octane Boost dragster is going to win one of these races, it is just a matter of time."

Millican will attempt to get his first-ever NHRA Top Fuel win next weekend at the O'Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas.