Clay Millican Returns at Reading
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_millican07.jpg" alt="c_millican07" align="left"borders="0"/>
Clay Millican's long and sometimes agonizing wait to officially begin his 2008 NHRA Top Fuel racing career ends this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa.
Millican will be flying the familiar - and colorful - Nitro Fish banner and Hope4Sudan on the Brad Hadman-built dragster in the Toyo Tires Nationals, Friday through Sunday.
"I'm so excited," said the effervescent Millican, whose return was hastened by one race, thanks to sponsorship from Kenny Koretsky's apparel company. "The Captain (Koretsky's nickname) called and said if we came back a race earlier than we planned, we should do it at his home track of Maple Grove with Nitro Fish on the car.
"There wasn't even a sales call . . . he was ready when I told him we were thinking about it."
Koretsky owned Millican's Top Fuel team several years ago and has remained close to Millican and Mark Pickens, his new partner in MPE Motorsports, LLC. "I'm excited to be able to help them out. Mark helped me when I owned the car and I want to help him," Koretsky said of the one-race sponsorship.
Pickens said his family is deeply involved in Hope4Sudan, a charitable relief organization.
"I've been making runs in my head every day, thinking it won't be long before I really get to do it," Millican continued. "I'm really excited for Mark, too. He got involved with our team several years ago. He's such a great guy, and a very good businessman. I'm pleased he's the man who owns the team now."
Pickens, a businessman with an affinity for drag racing, drives in Sportsman categories. He's also very happy to see Millican and his new team get back on the track.
"It was either going to Reading two weeks earlier than we'd planned or watch our guys go crazy," said Pickens. "You can bench race only so much. This way they can get their hands dirty and get back to the track. I'm real excited. I think we have a complete racing package."
Millican has veteran crew chief Lance Larsen calling the tuning shots and "a huge majority of our old crew is still with us," Millican added. "We have the core group that has been here for years and years and we all get to go racing again. That's what we do."
Sponsor issues sidelined Millican this year for all but one POWERade Series race at Gainesville, Fla. That was in March - five months and 13 races ago - thereby explaining why the six-time IHRA Top Fuel champion is eager to make his first competitive 1,000-foot run at Maple Grove.
The team's current plan is to attend the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis and following events at Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Memphis, Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_millican07.jpg" alt="c_millican07" align="left"borders="0"/>
Clay Millican's long and sometimes agonizing wait to officially begin his 2008 NHRA Top Fuel racing career ends this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa.
Millican will be flying the familiar - and colorful - Nitro Fish banner and Hope4Sudan on the Brad Hadman-built dragster in the Toyo Tires Nationals, Friday through Sunday.
"I'm so excited," said the effervescent Millican, whose return was hastened by one race, thanks to sponsorship from Kenny Koretsky's apparel company. "The Captain (Koretsky's nickname) called and said if we came back a race earlier than we planned, we should do it at his home track of Maple Grove with Nitro Fish on the car.
"There wasn't even a sales call . . . he was ready when I told him we were thinking about it."
Koretsky owned Millican's Top Fuel team several years ago and has remained close to Millican and Mark Pickens, his new partner in MPE Motorsports, LLC. "I'm excited to be able to help them out. Mark helped me when I owned the car and I want to help him," Koretsky said of the one-race sponsorship.
Pickens said his family is deeply involved in Hope4Sudan, a charitable relief organization.
"I've been making runs in my head every day, thinking it won't be long before I really get to do it," Millican continued. "I'm really excited for Mark, too. He got involved with our team several years ago. He's such a great guy, and a very good businessman. I'm pleased he's the man who owns the team now."
Pickens, a businessman with an affinity for drag racing, drives in Sportsman categories. He's also very happy to see Millican and his new team get back on the track.
"It was either going to Reading two weeks earlier than we'd planned or watch our guys go crazy," said Pickens. "You can bench race only so much. This way they can get their hands dirty and get back to the track. I'm real excited. I think we have a complete racing package."
Millican has veteran crew chief Lance Larsen calling the tuning shots and "a huge majority of our old crew is still with us," Millican added. "We have the core group that has been here for years and years and we all get to go racing again. That's what we do."
Sponsor issues sidelined Millican this year for all but one POWERade Series race at Gainesville, Fla. That was in March - five months and 13 races ago - thereby explaining why the six-time IHRA Top Fuel champion is eager to make his first competitive 1,000-foot run at Maple Grove.
The team's current plan is to attend the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis and following events at Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Memphis, Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif.
