ST. LOUIS — Even before last year’s victory, Clay Millican had always enjoyed racing at World Wide Technology Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals. It’s the closest race to home for the Top Fuel veteran, which means a huge turnout of friends and family for the longtime fan-favorite.
But he also enters this weekend as the defending St. Louis winner for the first time in his standout career, adding even more excitement to what is shaping up to be a huge weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.
The race holds it traditional spot as the third of six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs and Millican, still feeling the momentum of his massive U.S. Nationals victory, is right in the thick of the championship hunt.
He’s currently fifth in points and a huge weekend in St. Louis – with perhaps a second straight win at the event in his 11,000-horsepower Parts Plus/Comp Cams dragster – could continue to propel him up the standings. Millican is just over three rounds out of second place and he continues to be encouraged by what his team is accomplishing at an ideal time.
“The performance of the car has been pretty incredible,” Millican said. “The way our car is running right now, I’m pretty happy. I believe we can continue to move forward. We moved up one spot (last weekend) and if we can continue to do that, we’ll be in good shape.
“The race here last year was really spectacular. It was amazing to have so many people that are super special to me on the starting line to see that win light in the final round. This is a pretty cool track and I love going there and I love racing there. It’s an amazing facility and it’s the closest race to my home, so it’s always a lot of fun.”
Last season, Millican (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all collected wins in St. Louis and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage airing at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 29. It is the 17th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and finishes off a rigorous stretch of three straight race weekends to open the Countdown to the Championship.
While Antron Brown has been red-hot to open the playoffs, winning the first two races to move into the points lead for the first time since 2017, it’s been a battle of attrition for most of the year. Millican advanced to the semifinals in Charlotte, pushing him to fifth and just behind reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley and Brown.
Millican entered the playoffs riding high after his Indy win and a St. Louis victory would set him up nicely for a championship run over the final three races. But it won’t be easy in a loaded category that includes Brown, who has a Top Fuel-best five St. Louis wins, and also Steve Torrence, Tony Schumacher, Tony Stewart and Brittany Force.
Millican is eager to put up a big number under the lights on Friday in what could be an incredible qualifying session, but he knows it’s all about performing on Sunday.
“With the class as good as it sets, every single run you make needs to be a good one and that includes qualifying,” Millican said. “This team has put in a whole lot of work putting this all together and right now, it’s great.
“The last couple night runs (in Indy, Reading and Charlotte), we haven’t really connected. We know this car is capable of mid-3.60s, we just have to put everything together. It goes back to those bonus qualifying points. But what we’ve seen this year is how close these cars are. They’re all so close and so capable of winning from anywhere on the ladder.”
In Funny Car, Hagan will try for his second straight St. Louis win in hopes of trying to track down points leader Austin Prock, who has won three straight races. Others to watch include Jack Beckman, who is driving for John Force, Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, Ron Capps and rookie Daniel Wilkerson.
Anderson, the winningest Pro Stock driver, has three wins at St. Louis. He’ll need another to stay close to KB Titan Racing teammate and Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn, and five-time 2024 winner Aaron Stanfield. Defending world champ Erica Enders has six wins in St. Louis – the most of any driver in NHRA history.
Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Herrera will look to repeat in St. Louis as he tries to move back into the points lead. Matt Smith, a five-time St. Louis winner, took over the top with his Charlotte win, while other top names include rookie Richard Gadson, Chase Van Sant, Jianna Evaristo and Angie Smith.