Terry McMillen Racing

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Bid on McMillen’s pink jersey’s now on eBay and support She4Life

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ELKHART, Ind. – Terry McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil/UNOH/Motor State Distributing NHRA Top Fuel team, put the team’s pink jerseys up for bid on eBay this week. The teams month long Breast Cancer Awareness campaign to bring attention to She4Life.

She4Life is a brand new charity supporting the families and patients of breast cancer when the cost of treatments starts to put a burden on the patients. “SHE4Life is in its infancy stages, and we want to help them get up and running,” McMillen said. “They are going to help patients by going into communities and putting their line of products into stores. Money from the sales will be put directly back into the community in which they are sold and I think that’s pretty cool.”

The eBay auction is currently underway and runs for the next eight days. You can bid on any or all of the 13 McMillen crew jerseys on eBay.

To learn more about She4Life visit their Facebook page.

McMillen makes the most out of circle track experience

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LIMA, Ohio – Terry McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil / UNOH Top Fuel Dragster, made his circle track debut last Friday in a dirt modified car. McMillen was set to compete against NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace at Limaland Motorsports Park in the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” event, sponsored by St. Rita’s Medical Center to bring awareness to breast cancer.

McMillen and Wallace would find trouble early in their pink wrapped rides, McMillen with the wall, Wallace with an engine. The hot lap, warm up session, was all McMillen would see of the Limaland oval. While McMillen spun his #00 UNOH ride and backed it easily into the turn 3 wall, Wallace experienced his own problems when the engine expired on the UNOH #2 car.

“It was the first time I’ve ever been on dirt,” McMillen explained. “I told Kenny that if he gave me a 10-lap lead for an 11-lap race I would have a chance. But at the end of practice I dinged up the rear quarter panel and Kenny had the rods out of his ride. It was Kenny’s night, so I gave up my seat to him. I had offers to take one of the other student cars, but it was really their night and I needed more practice before I got out there in hot and heavy racing conditions.”

McMillen enjoyed the experience and jumped out of the car after practice with the same enthusiasm he has after a 300mph run in his NHRA Top Fuel ride. “That car kicked my butt,” he told the crowd that gathered around the car. “But you know what – that’s the last time it will ever happen. I will get back in this car and I’ll make enough laps to get competitive. Hopefully Kenny and I will get a chance to do it again next year.”

McMillen and Wallace both spent Thursday inspiring students at UNOH and Friday encouraging patients at St. Rita’s Medical Center. Both McMillen and Wallace shared similar stories about their early careers in racing. McMillen’s ‘persistence outweighs resistance’ and Wallace’s ‘your life won’t change until you change your life’ messages inspired faculty and students alike.

“It was a great way to spend a couple of days off,” McMillen said. “Spending a few days with Dr. Jarvis, Steve Farmer and Kenny Wallace has inspired our team to reach out for that next level – be just a little bit better than we have to be. That’s what it’s going to take to make our team great. We’re up for the challenge.”

McMillen is Tough Enough to Wear Pink – and will get dirty while doing it

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LIMA, Ohio – Terry McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil / UNOH Top Fuel Dragster will take a break from straight line racing on the NHRA Drag Racing tour this week and try his hand at the wheel of a Dirt Modified car at Limaland Motorsports Park this Friday. The event will feature McMillen and NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Kenny Wallace to benefit St. Rita’s Medical Center – Tough Enough to Wear Pink event for breast-cancer awareness.

McMillen, currently 10th in the NHRA points standings, is used to turning left when exciting the drag strip at the end of a 300mph race, but this will be his first attempt to do so on a circle track in competition. “I’ve been getting a lot of pointers from Doug Kalitta (NHRA Driver and former midget and Sprint Car driver who won the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car Championship),” McMillen admitted. “I’m excited about getting in there and mixing it up with Kenny Wallace.”

McMillen and Wallace will also spend time off the track speaking with students and faculty at the University of Northwestern Ohio and visiting St. Rita’s Medical Center to sign autographs and take pictures with patients.

“Win or lose it will be a good experience for a great cause,” McMillen said. “Cancer is one of those things that touch us all either directly or indirectly at some point in our lives.” McMillen will wear a pink helmet that was made for this race by Vickery’s Speed Shop. “Dale Vickery has become a great friend to our team and he’s a cancer survivor,” McMillen said. “So, it meant a lot to him to make this helmet. The helmet will also carry the name of Rosalee Noble who is currently fighting breast cancer.”

Noble is the Fund Raising Chairman for DRAW (Drag Racing Association for Women) an organization dedicated to helping injured drag racers. “Rosalee does so much for others, we wanted to do a little something to recognize her and her fight,” McMillen said. “After the race the helmet will be donated to DRAW in her honor for an upcoming auction.”

 

Full Throttle vacation readies McMillen’s crew for 2011 season

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS  — It seemed like yesterday when the crew on Terry McMillen’s Amalie Oil/UNOH Top Fuel dragster won their second Full Throttle Hardest Working Crew Award of the 2010 season. To show his appreciation for the crew’s hard work, McMillen allowed the crew to determine how they wanted to distribute the winnings.

“I felt rather than pay out the winnings in a bonus check, I would see if they wanted to do something more creative with it,” McMillen said. “They worked very hard this year, and unfortunately the outcome didn’t always reflect the effort my crew put in. I wanted them to enjoy the winnings, and also know how much I appreciated their hard work.” It wasn’t long before the they came to a consensus, a team vacation.

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McMillen agreed a vacation would be great, so frequent cruiser, Chris Cyzak, who works part time on the cylinder heads, took the role of Cruise Coordinator and before you knew it, a vacation was planned. The winnings from the Full Throttle Hardest Working Crew Awards allowed each team member to bring one guest aboard Carnival Cruise Lines, Sensation, for a four night three day cruise to the Bahamas.

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New Look for Hoosier Thunder Transporter

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If you used to watch for us going down the highway on our way to and from races – you might want to look again.

Here’s a sneak peak and the new wrap on our transporter. Thanks to Tammy and the folks at Repros Color in Cleveland / Akron-Canton Ohio. Also a big thanks to Michelle Barkett and Gonzalo Jarmillo for their outstanding work on the art.

Big Texan – one step closer to 50th annual NHRA Winternationals

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words – this one might be 1001. 

As Tad and Doug make there way across the country to Pomona for the 50th running on the NHRA Winternationals, it’s good to see they’re making progress. 
Here’s Doug – looking ready for a nap in this Big Texan rocking chair. Let’s hope he didn’t eat the Big Texan 72oz steak and that Amarillo is far enough away from weather that it’s all smooth sailing from here.
If you’re traveling across Texas – this looks like the place to stop. I wonder if we could get a food sponsor? Maybe next trip.



Jay Leno and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme

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Here’s a great interview from the Jay Leno garage with Don showing off his mint Hot Wheels Funny Car.
Check out the toy at the beginning – they just don’t make cool toys like that anymore do they?




How much fuel does a Top Fuel Dragster use?

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It’s one of the more common questions we get asked when we’re racing. While we tell everyone that we use about 20 gallons of nitro methane on the warm up and run – it’s sometimes hard to understand just how much fuel that is.

Here’s a video – showing ONE (1) cylinder – and the amount of fuel that goes into that cylinder over the course of a race. Multiply that by 8 – hold the throttle for about 4 seconds – and well, you’ve burned a bunch of VPs finest race fuel.

Vote 2008 – IHRA Competitor Awards

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It’s an election year. If you’re like me you’ve just about heard all of the politics you want to hear. So here’s your chance to put politics aside an vote for your favorite IHRA drivers.
You can vote online for:

  • IHRA Sportsman of the Year
  • Pro Driver of the Year
  • Most Improved Pro Driver
  • Pro Rookie of the Year
  • Crew Chief of the Year
  • Sportsman Rookie of the Year
  • Sportsman Driver of the Year

Only one vote for each email address, no ballot stuffing please.
I can think of a few guys to pitch for a couple of those awards, but I guess you know my bias. Vote early, vote often.
Our entire crew is looking forward to the 2008 IHRA Banquet. Have you made your reservations yet?

Team photos in Grand Bend

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Browsing around YouTube today and ran across this video of the crew photos of both the Noakes and McMillen win.
It was really cool to be a part of this history. A proud moment for our team. Thanks to another great Canadian fan for taking and posting this video.