MILLICAN, BILLES
SHINE AT THE ROCK

By Jeff Burk
Photos by Ian Tocher
11/9/04

Clay Millican was overshadowed in qualifying by IHRA Rookie of the Year candidate Australian Andrew Cowin, but when the money was on the line Sunday Clay Millican and his Mike Klober tuned fueler demonstrated why he is the most prolific winner in IHRA drag racing history, by driving the Werner Enterprises Top Fuel dragster to its seventh victory of the season and its seventh straight win at Rockingham Dragway.

The win gave Millican his 37th IHRA tour victory in a career that began just five years ago. The defending champ beat Aussie Andrew Cowin in the semis and then trailered Danny Dunn of Wilkesboro, N.C., in the final to win IHRA World Finals and lock up the Hooters Cup Top Fuel title.

Millican wasn’t the only Pro racer that had a stellar day. Pro Mod racer Al Billes had a career day at the drags. He not only re-set the elapsed time for the Pro Modified division at 6.102 in his ’63 supercharged ‘Vette but ran a string of six-teen’s to dominate the Pro Mod eliminations and take home the title.

Other winners in Sunday's attrition-marred and rain-lengthened season finale were Pro Stock defending World Champ Brian Gahm of Lucasville, Ohio, and Alky Funny Car racer Fred Tigges of Holbrook, Mass., who upset two-time and reigning World Champ Rob Atchison in the finals for that professional class.

The Millican-Dunn Top Fuel final was a rematch of last April's IHRA Spring Nationals also contested at The Rock. This time, though, Dunn made a race of it—at least for 600 feet. Old pro Millican was ran a 4.672 lap at 307.79mph, well off the 4.534 second world record Cowin set on Saturday, but good enough to cover Danny Dunn's ailing 7.107 at just 111.10 mph. For Dunn it was his third straight a runner-up in as many final round appearances.