SAN ANTONIO, Texas (April 10, 2008) – The Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster, powered by Torco Race Fuels and driven by Terry McMillen, made its Nitro Jam debut during the season opening event hosted at the San Antonio Raceway. The newly assembled team, led by crew chef John Smith, made the most of their opportunities, finishing the event with a final round appearance. A broken throttle cable would end McMillen’s hopes of capturing his third career Iron Man.
“We can’t be disappointed,” McMillen said after the race. “I would have loved to been in the winners circle at an Amalie race to collect a trophy, but this was a great weekend for our team. We had basically a brand new car and a brand new crew. These guys worked hard and did a great job to get us to the final round.”
While John Smith was disappointed with the finish, he felt the weekend was a success. He spoke with CompetitionPlus.com shortly after the race. “That was really the first mistake [throttle cable] that we made all weekend so we put a good effort up for Terry, Amalie Oil and NAPA Auto Parts,†Smith added. “Terry has worked really hard to put the deal together. We made it to the final round so it was a pretty good weekend all in all. We’ve got a good baseline. All the guys were working well together and little things like this will happen. You win as a team and you lose as a team so that’s what it’s about.”
McMillen ends double duty season optimistic
ELKHART, Ind. – Terry McMillen pulled double duty during the 2007 Knoll-Gas Motorsports Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series driving both the Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car and the Evan Knoll backed Torco Nitro Top Fuel Dragster owned by Doug Foley and Tim Lewis.
McMillen’s double effort marks the first time in IHRA professional drag racing history that someone was competed in two classes and finsihed in the top 10 of the points standings. McMillen finished Top Fuel in 5th and Alcohol Funny Car 6th in points. McMillen’s teams saw improvement all season long with constant progress being made with the Funny Car and two event wins in Top Fuel (Edmonton and Toronto).
“It was an exciting year,” McMillen said. “We learned a lot of things that will help us be even more competitive in the 2008 season. I think you’re going to see a lot of exciting things coming out of the Hoosier Thunder Motorsports camp. The new season starts today. We’ll have a lot of exciting announcements in the next few months that set the tone for our team in ’08.”
Near miss for McMillen at NHRA debut
RICHMOND, Va. – Terry McMillen, driver of the Foley & Lewis, Torco Nitro Top Fuel Dragster narrowly missed making the field at the 2nd annual Torco Race Fuels NHRA Nationals. After the final qualifying session, McMillen was disappointed but optimistic about his team.
“We learned a lot this weekend,” McMillen said as they loaded the dragster into the transporter. “We know that we’re close to running the number we need to make the show anywhere we go.”
McMillen entered Saturday’s qualifying rounds in the 10th provisional position, knowing that he’d have to step up performance to make the field. Saturday’s first pass put McMillen next to defending NHRA World Champion Tony Schumacher. McMillen would run side by side with Schumacher falling slightly off pace at the top end of the track as the car pitched the blower belt.
McMillen and the InstiGator make strides Maryland
BUDDS CREEK, Md. – Terry McMillen and his Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny car, powered by Torco Race Fuels qualified for one of the toughest Alcohol Funny Car fields in recent IHRA history. Sixteen cars would attempt to qualify for the eight positions available for eliminations, McMillen would capture the seventh in a field that saw track records reset often.
“It truly was some of the most grueling qualifying I’ve been a part of in some time,” McMillen explained. “Making the field at the Torco Race Fuels President’s Cup Nationals was an accomplishment all by itself.”
“We’ve seen a lot of improvement with our set up these past few races,” McMillen continued. “With the schedule the way it is down the stretch here it’s tough to find time to go testing. We need to find some time to go testing for a day so we can sneak up just a little more on this tune up.”
McMillen doubles up in Toronto
CAYUGA, Ont. – Terry McMillen, driver of the Foley & Lewis, Torco Nitro Top Fuel dragster doubled his career win total with his second win this season. McMillen also scored his first Last Man Standing award when he captured low E.T. and the number one provisional qualifying position on Friday night. McMillen would end qualifying in the fourth position.
“That Toronto Ironman is going to look pretty nice next to the Edmonton Ironman,” McMillen commented as he drove back to his race shop in Elkhart, Indiana. “We had a good car all through qualifying,” he added. “We needed a couple of lucky breaks to get to the finals, but when the chips where on the line my guys came through in a big way.”
McMillen’s semi-final appearance at Martin sets up Amalie race in Epping
MARTIN, Mich. – Terry McMillen and his Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car leave the Knoll-Gas Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan this morning with a semi-final appearance to show for their efforts at the Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals. McMillen plans on carrying the momentum into the Amalie Oil North American Nationals at this weekends event in Epping, New Hampshire.
“There’s nothing like racing at Martin for us,” McMillen said after the action packed weekend. “It’s our home track. There are so many family and friends that make it to this race. I’m glad we were able to make go some rounds for everyone. Plus, being Torco’s premier race with Evan Knoll racing his car and all the excitement that brings, we were happy to be a part of that big weekend.”
InstiGator moves into 5th place after Grand Bend
GRAND BEND, Ont. – When the MOPAR Canadian Nationals were complete, Terry McMillen and the Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car had fought back into the top five of the Knoll Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. The Torco powered alcohol flopper made its best lap of the year but fell to event winner Paul Noakes.
“My crew has been working so hard,” McMillen said. “We’ve done more testing this year than we have in a long time. It’s starting to pay off, we’re just not seeing all of the end results of the hard work. The motor is really happy and we’re starting to lean on it a little now. We just couldn’t get all of the adjustments that we needed going from Edmonton’s 4,500 foot adjusted elevation to Grand Bend’s 1,500 feet.”
While McMillen and crew were disappointed in the end result from Grand Bend, they know that the changes to their set up will produce the speed needed to compete. “This car is ready to run some big numbers now,” said Co-Crew Chief Andy McMillen. “We haven’t even started to lean on it yet. We’ll smarten it up a little more going into Martin.”
McMillen scores at the Rocky Mountain Nationals
EDMONTON, Alberta – He’s pulling double duty this season, racing in both his Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car and the Foley/Lewis backed Torco Nitro Top Fuel Dragster. In just his fifth Top Fuel event, Terry McMillen, an IHRA fan favorite, drove through a tough field including teammate and number one qualifier Doug Foley to earn his first Iron Man.
“It was just an unbelievable feeling to win,” McMillen told drag racing website CompetitionPlus.com. “I’ve always said Edmonton is one of my favorite tracks. To come out here and win it is an awesome deal. Perseverance by the Torco team was a major factor today. We went out there and got it done. I just can’t say enough about my team, Evan Knoll (mentor/sponsor), Tim Lewis, and Doug Foley (team co-owners).”
McMillen fights back to seventh in points standings
TULSA, Okla. – Terry McMillen and his Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny car powered by Torco Race Fuels fought through rain delays and adversity to put the Hoosier Thunder Motorsports team back into the top 10.
“It’s been tough,” McMillen explained. “But we’ve made a lot of positive steps to get this car back into contention. After destroying and engine and blower in Rockingham the team spent the time off for the rain delay rebuilding engines and testing.
“We’ve learned a lot over the past few weeks,” said McMillen. “We’ve got a brand new PSI Supercharger mounted on our new Hemi. It’s just a matter of sneaking up on our tune-up now.”
McMillen Debuts in Top Fuel With Foley and Lewis’ Torco Nitro Car
SAN ANTONIO, TX – When Terry McMillen earned his Top Fuel license in October of 2005 behind the wheel of Evan Knoll’s dragster, he had no idea where the road would lead. Shortly after McMillen earned his license he was diagnosed with a serious and rare fungal eye infection (Fusarium Keratitis) as a result of using Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with Moisture Loc product. The injury required McMillen to undergo corneal replacement and lens surgery. “For my safety and the safety of drivers around me, I had to sit out the 2006 season regarding Top Fuel racing,” said McMillen. “It wasn’t until recently that my doctor cleared me to race Top Fuel, with the provision that he checks my eye after each race. We have postponed future surgeries at this time.”
Fast forward to San Antonio 2007. McMillen will pilot the Top Fuel Dragster for the Foley and Lewis team and carry the colors of Torco Nitro in an effort to earn a championship. “I’m very excited about a chance to race with the high-quality team that Doug [Foley] and Tim [Lewis] have put together,” said a grateful McMillen. “Doug and I have been closely working together on the Accelerator product line, it only made sense that we team up to race also.”