McMillen resets track speed record en route to win
GRAND BEND, Ont. – Terry McMillen, Hoosier Thunder Motorsports team owner and driver of the Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster, couldn’t have imagined the outcome of the Mopar Canadian Nationals in his wildest dreams. The Elkhart, Indiana based team to both McMillen’s Top Fuel Dragster and the Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car driven by Paul Noakes, raced their way to the winner’s circle this past weekend.
“When we started this two-car team I hoped that we could do something like this,” McMillen said. “But I know how hard it is to win one of these things, much less how difficult it would be to get two pro cars to win on the same Sunday. These two teams worked their butts off this weekend to make this dream come true. We’re still pretty ecstatic about the whole thing.”
McMillen qualified his dragster in the second position and then reset Clay Millican’s 2-year-old track speed record in his first elimination round. The 322.42 MPH pass was also a career best. The 4.665 elapsed time was just 0.019 seconds from resetting the track elapsed time record.
Noakes makes third time the charm
GRAND BEND, Ont. – For the third race in a row, Paul Noakes found himself in the final round of an IHRA national event. This time the Mopar Canadian Nationals provided a different outcome as the Les Mellows tuned Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny car prevailed, giving Hoosier Thunder Motorsports its first Funny Car victory ever.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of these guys,” Terry McMillen, team owner said. “Paul and Les are the best in the business and they proved it again this weekend.”
Of the last 18 races that a Paul Noakes driven / Les Mellows tuned car has been entered, 11 have resulted in a final round appearance, five of those with wins, including the successful defense of the Mopar Canadian nationals.
Noakes and Mellows made the transition to McMillen’s Amalie Oil InstiGator at the beginning of the season with the goal of competing for a championship. “It took a little longer to get the car suited to Paul than we all had hoped for,” Mellows explained. “But now that he is becoming more comfortable with it we can begin to enjoy the results.”
Noakes plans to continue mid-season charge
Grand Bend, Ont. — Paul Noakes has driven the Amalie Oil InstiGator in back-to-back final rounds in each of the last 2 events. The mid-season charge has been enough to tighten the points chase, but not enough to make up any ground on Laurie Cannister, who beat Noakes in both final round appearances.
“We just want to continue this mid-season push,” Noakes said as he greets fans and sponsors at a London media and cancer benefit event. “Laurie is going to be tough to catch if someone in this funny car class can’t put the brakes on her. We’ve had three shots at her this season and have come up empty handed. It’s going to be tough, but I don’t think anyone has conceded the championship yet. We’re not racing for second place yet,” he said with a smile.
Les Mellows, crew chief agrees, “We are still running for number one in the championship, but we need to focus on those that stand in our way and compete at a high level every opportunity we have. The points will be tallied in five more races.”
Qualifying for the Mopar Canadian Nationals kicks off this Friday, July 18 and continues through the weekend with eliminations and champions crowned on Sunday, July 20. The race has Noakes and tuner Les Mellows a little more focused than usual. The Ontarians live just minutes from the Grand Bend Motorplex and consider this their home event.
McMillen reloads for Grand Bend
Grand Bend, Ont. — After returning from Edmonton and a short week at the race shop, Terry McMillen can’t wait to get back to racing. McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster is determined to climb back in his dragster and get back winning rounds.
“We were a little disappointed leaving Edmonton,” McMillen admitted. “Those are some of the best fans in all of motorsports, not just drag racing. We wanted to perform better for them and for our sponsors. It just didn’t work out for us the way we wanted.”
McMillen points to the short week between Edmonton and Grand Bend as a turning point for his team. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to get some round wins. My guys are hungry for something positive to happen so we’re happy to get back after it in Grand Bend.”
McMillen to defend Rocky Mountain Nationals title
Edmonton, Alb. – Terry McMillen kicked off race-week for the Rocky Mountain Nationals this morning with an appearance on Canada’s #1 TV station, Global TV. The morning show featured an interview with Terry and newsman Mark Milne. McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster, and defending event champion, told Milne that he hopes to repeat.
“Everyone remembers their first win,” McMillen said. “Last year we overcame a lot of adversity to get that win, so it makes it that much more special.” McMillen’s title defense is the first of his career and one that he expects to be tough. “This year’s Rocky Mountain Nationals is very special for our team,” McMillen continued. “Rob and Kim Reeves are working with this team and their busy schedules haven’t allowed them to be at a race yet this season. Having a chance to race and perform well for them will make this race special.”
“The competition in IHRA Top Fuel is tough,” McMillen said. “If there’s an easy round win out there, we haven’t found it.” While McMillen’s low ET of elimination at Maryland was not good enough to advance him past the hole shot victory of Mike Strausburg, he knows his John “Bodie” Smith tuned team is headed in the right direction.
Currently fifth in points, McMillen thinks his team is still in position to win its first championship. “A lot of teams will tell you they aren’t counting points,” McMillen said. “We’re counting them,” he chuckled. “We still control our own destiny. With some good fortune and good luck we should be able to make a run at the top spot.”
Noakes races Amalie InstiGator into final round appearance
MECHANICSVILLE, Md. – The Hoosier Thunder Motorsports team car driven by Paul Noakes and tuned by Les Mellows raced the Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car to a final round appearance before falling to points leader Laurie Cannister. The effort put the team back into the championship hunt and after four of ten events they sit in the fourth position, just a few rounds from the number two spot.
“It was a great weekend for the car and for this team,” Noakes said after the event. “We’re one step closer to having the perfect car. I couldn’t be happier.”
McMillen sets low ET of eliminations – not enough
MECHANICSVILLE, Md. – Terry McMillen headed into the President’s Cup Nationals looking for improvement for his Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster. While he found a marked improvement in his team’s performance, it wasn’t enough to advance them past the first round of eliminations.
The John “Bodie” Smith tuned dragster set the low elapsed time of eliminations (4.858 seconds) but McMillen couldn’t overcome Mike Strasburg’s 0.013 reaction time.
“John gave me a great car to work with on a hot track. I think we had the set up to win some rounds,” team owner and driver Terry McMillen said. “Bottom line – I’ve got to do a better job on the tree. People talk about having a reaction time like that with a fuel car and how unlikely that is, but Mike did it and I didn’t and that’s what drag racing is all about.”
McMillen gets back in the hunt for first win of 2008
BUDDS CREEK, Md. – Every race team evaluates their successes and failures and then compares the completed evaluation to the current situation. For Terry McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster, the last 2 weeks have been an evaluation process that he can’t wait to put behind him.
“We’ve beat ourselves up pretty good these past two weeks,” McMillen said after failing to qualify for the Motor City Nationals. “It really hurts a lot to miss a race like that. That’s why I can’t wait to get back to racing. We can only beat ourselves up so much.”
Big weekend ends early for Noakes and InstiGator
MILAN, Mich.– After a catastrophic engine failure in Rockingham knocked the Hoosier Thunder team from contention, the Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car driven by Paul Noakes and tuned by Les Mellows, looked for big improvements at the Motor City Nationals. They didn’t have to wait long.
The team rolled the Dodge Avenger off of the transporter and immediately captured Friday night’s Last Man Standing Award and an additional five points with a 5.791 et at 244.03 mph performance. It was a career best performance for the car.
Saturday’s qualifying attempts would prove that the InstiGator’s performance wasn’t a fluke. Noakes would outrun Dale Brand during the afternoon session by posting a career best 5.754 et at 245.36 mph, remaining in the top spot after two sessions. Noakes would once again put his ride into the seventies during Saturday night’s session, only to be outdone by Brand’s run into the sixties.
The only spoiler for the weekend was a first round -.002 red light against Rob Atchison.
Gremlin keeps McMillen out of Motor City Nationals
MILAN, Mich. – Terry McMillen took his Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster to the Motor City Nationals with high expectations. After three qualifying attempts the team found itself on the outside of the top eight and parked for Sunday eliminations.
“It’s just one of those things,” McMillen said after the race. “We are very disappointed because up until Milan this car has been very consistent. We just couldn’t find the right set up for the track. Heck, I don’t think we could have found the track if we fell onto it.”
“We’ve just got one of those gremlins that hasn’t shown itself yet. I’ve got the best crew in the business, so I know we’ll get it figured out before the next race.”
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