After 16 races and a points reset for the six-race Countdown to the Championship, eight NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel drivers are mathematically in contention for the title entering this weekend’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona (Calif.) Dragstrip.
Among those is reigning U.S. Nationals winner Clay Millican.
At 93 markers behind points leader Justin Ashley, Millican will need some help to achieve a dream season with Rick Ware Racing — winning drag racing’s biggest event and securing the championship.
The six-time International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) champion admitted he’s expecting Pomona to be “a crapshoot.”
“It really, really is,” Millican began. “I mean, obviously, at 93 back, we need a few things to go our way, but the points-and-a-half at Pomona really stirs it up. So anything’s possible. And I like our chances. I mean, semifinals this past week in Vegas, we can do it.”
The 58-year-old hasn’t won the most races in the nitro category this season. However, he’s quietly been consistent throughout the Countdown.
Millican has two semifinal appearances and a final round loss during the first five rounds of the Countdown.
“I mean, we still can get it done,” Millican said. “I’ve been saying this a whole lot. So we won three races last year and we’ve only won one this year, which it was the biggest race of the year. But we’ve had a more consistent car and we’re further up in points this year than we were last year.
“But man, what we’ve got going with this whole Rick Ware team is just incredible and Pomona’s gonna to be a slugfest.”
Since its inception, the Countdown has received its fair share of criticism from fans, with some believing the points reset is a detriment to the team and driver in each category that showed the most consistency through the regular season.
Millican sees both sides and bases his opinion on the position he’s in. For this year, Millican is a fan of the Countdown reset.
“I’m going to be honest, if I was the guy leading with a big lead and they did a reset, I wouldn’t like it,” Millican said. “In the position that I’ve been in the past couple years, I love the points reset. It does create excitement.
“It’s happened a few times. Austin Prock (Funny Car) has just crushed the Countdown and he locked it up early. But typically, that does not happen. So it does create stories leading into Pomona, no matter what’s going on.
“I get it, I understand it. I am going to play both sides of the fence. It’s according to where I’m at in points, whether I like it or not.”