MILLICAN DOESN'T WIN

Now this is news! Clay Millican did not win the Top Fuel competition at the IHRA Motor City Nationals in Milan, MI. In fact, the winningest driver in IHRA history was taken out in the first round by John "Doc" Sipple, when Millican smoked the tires around the 300-ft mark. Millican, who has lost only four times since his 2002 season, had to settle for just setting both track records with a qualifying pass of 4.586 at 313.07 mph.

Sipple had another upset win over Bruce Litton in the second round, but ran out of luck in the final. Louie Allison (below) took his own Cinderella story all the way, getting his first event win.

"I really don't know what to say because I haven't won before," Allison said. "This is absolutely incredible."

Al Billes got the Pro Modified win, Rob Atchison won Funny Car and Rick Jones was the Pro Stock champ. (IHRA photo) [7-19-2004]

SEEING RED

You thought the Pro Stock Bikes' nine red-lights in Denver were the most? Wrong. According to DRO stats guy Jim Hawkins, Indy 2003 is the leader with 11. Denver 2004 is second. Third goes to Atlanta 2003 with eight and fourth is Sonoma 2003 with seven. Interesting that the top four events for red-lights (stats 1999 to now) are all within the last year or so.

The other classes (stats 1987 to now) are Top Fuel: Indy 1993 (4); Funny Car: Englishtown 2003 (4); and Pro Stock: Memphis 1995 (7). [7-19-2004]

AMATO TEAM TO RETURN AT BRAINERD

After much discussion following the death of Darrell Russell in St. Louis, Joe Amato has announced that his team will return to competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd. MN on Aug. 12-15. "After talking with Darrell's family, we have collectively decided that Darrell would want us to carry on," Amato said.

While no replacement driver has officially been named, the odds-on favorite appears to be A/Fuel Dragster pilot Morgan Lucas who currently sits 7th in the NHRA National Sportsman ranks. Morgan has wanted to make the jump to Top Fuel, and will probably come with backing from his family's Lucas Oil Company, a sponsorship that would be a conflict with long-time Amato backer Valvoline. [7-19-2004]

TRACKS CLOSING IN FLORIDA

The Agent hears that a couple of Florida's older racing plants are going to be closed and turned into housing developments or freeway on-ramps. Jax Raceways in Jacksonville

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has been sold according to published reports and will be done after this season.

Also the land that venerable Sunshine Dragway in Pinellas Park is on has been bought by the state. Sushine is one of the older tracks and has been operating since the 1950s. It is the home track for racers like Steve Cohen, the late Dave "the Fly" Edwards, Richard Earle, Barry Grant, Tim Butler, Larry Ericksmoen, Corky and Sherry Markwart, Jim Carlton, and many other national "Super" and bracket racers. In addition National Dragster reporter Kevin McKenna used to work the ticket booth at Sunshine. Both tracks will reportedly finish out the 2004 season and rumor has it the owners of Sunshine are negotiating for a lease for the 2005 season. [7-19-2004]