(Steve Embling photo)

Clay Millican, the four-time defending IHRA World Champion from Drummonds, TN, defeated NHRA racer Cory McClenathan in the Top Fuel final of the IHRA Skull Gear World Nationals presented by PPG.McClenathan dominated the qualifying session and took the pole position at his first-ever IHRA race, getting much of the publicity over the weekend.

"All weekend everyone wanted to know 'are you going to beat Cory?' And those guys run really quick and really fast," Millican said. "They proved that when they went out and laid down the numbers during qualifying. But there is one thing I always feel confident about, and that's (crew chief) Mike Kloeber. The thing he is always able to do is make that car go down the race track, and we're one step closer to that fifth World Championship."


(Steve Embling photo)

The Top Fuel class ensured it was going to be an IHRA-NHRA battle in the final. In the semifinals, McClenathan (above) defeated NHRA driver TJ Zizzo while Millican, in the bottom half of the field, took out Doug Foley (below).

(Steve Embling photo)