MILLICAN - "WINNING SECONDARY"
Even though six-time IHRA Top Fuel world champion Clay Millican didn’t light a single win-light during the NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., he and his SinFuel Choppers Top Fuel dragster presented by Torco Race Fuels/Knoll Gas might as well have scored the overall victory.
The real triumph was in providing a measure of encouragement for team owner Evan Knoll, who was sidelined earlier in the year with serious health issues. Millican drove his way into a tough sixteen car field with only one testing weekend’s worth of preparation.
There are times when the difference between winning and losing is attitude.
Even though six-time IHRA Top Fuel world champion Clay Millican didn’t
light a single win-light during the NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals in
Gainesville, Fla., he and his SinFuel Choppers Top Fuel dragster
presented by Torco Race Fuels/Knoll Gas might as well have scored the
overall victory.
The real triumph was in providing a measure of encouragement for team
owner Evan Knoll, who was sidelined earlier in the year with serious
health issues. Millican drove his way into a tough sixteen car field
with only one testing weekend’s worth of preparation.
“This was a weekend to help Evan feel better,” Millican said. “We came
out here with the intention of giving him something to root for. He
provided us with the opportunity to go and I am so proud of the way
this team has performed for the last two weekends.”
Pressure can only be self-induced and I’m sure I do manage to do that from time to time, but I always try to use the pressure as a positive. Once I’m in the car, all of the pressure is gone. I want to win as bad as anyone but I look at this experience as just fun. I’m one of the luckiest people because I’m part of this team. - Clay Millican on pressure to perform
When one considers the additional facts, the team didn't get the word
they would race in the Gatornationals until four days prior to the
event, it makes their effort even more impressive.
“We were really pumped up about testing last weekend and then the call
came in telling us we had a green-light to head to Gainesville,”
Millican said. “It didn’t take long for the realization to set in,
‘hey, we’re racing this weekend.”
Such a proclamation for the SinFuel Choppers Top Fuel team presented by
Torco Race Fuels/Knoll Gas was a complete 180-degree turnaround for a
team who had accepted the fact they would be limited to testing for the
duration of the 2008 season while Knoll healed from injuries sustained
in a 2004 automobile accident.
“Bringing the car out as the first one in both Top Fuel sessions was
tough; that feat alone makes what Johnny West and Lance Larsen pulled
off this weekend even more impressive,” said Millican.
Millican secured his first qualifying berth for 2008 by landing tenth with a 4.624 elapsed time at 325.77 miles per hour.
Millican then dropped a tough first round match opposite Brandon
Bernstein. The match was anything but a runaway victory for the latter.
Bernstein edged Millican by a 4.593, 325.85 to 4.623, 322.34 margin.
“He left on me but the incremental times had us side by side all the
way,” Millican explained. “It was a heck of a drag race and I can’t
help but be proud to be associated with the incredible team Evan Knoll
has formed here.”
The key the weekend’s success, Millican admits was a lack of pressure.
“I think all pressure is self-induced,” Millican said. “If there’s one
thing I’ve never gotten from Evan or Latrell [Preston, Torco CFO] is
any pressure demanding that I win. All they do is provide me the tools
to get the job done.
“Pressure can only be self-induced and I’m sure I do manage to do that
from time to time, but I always try to use the pressure as a positive.
Once I’m in the car, all of the pressure is gone. I want to win as bad
as anyone but I look at this experience as just fun. I’m one of the
luckiest people because I’m part of this team.”