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Clean Seal forges Partnership with Terry McMillen’s Top Fuel Dragster Team

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South Bend, Ind. – Clean Seal, Inc. today announced a partnership with Hoosier Thunder Motorsports. Hoosier operates an 8000 horse-power competitive Top Fuel Dragster capable of traveling 1000 feet in less than four seconds. The dragster is owned and driven by Terry McMillen of Elkhart, Indiana. Using a specialized racing fuel the dragster gobbles up 13-14 gallons of the Nitro methane every speed run down the track. At the end of 1000 feet, the dragster is traveling in excess of 320 miles an hour!

McMillen and his dragster have become well-known celebrities on ESPN TV. The team has become quite successful promoting their dragster and the sport drag racing. Terry and the Hoosier Thunder team will be competing in some 23 NHRA races around the U.S. this season from Florida to California and race tracks in between. During their “spare” time between races, Terry and the team are frequently seen visiting hospitalized children in local hospitals.
“We’re excited to be a part of this exhilarating sport,” stated Bill Dawson VP/GM at Clean Seal. “We’ve watched Terry ever since the days when he was driving a Top Fuel Funny Car in the early 90’s and he’s been improving ever since. With his plans to place a second dragster in his stable, we are expecting big things,” Dawson continued.

Clean Seal, Inc. is a national manufacturer and distributor of weather stripping materials to the transportation, appliance, bus, rail, boating and recreational vehicle industries. In business since 1978, Clean Seal custom manufactures a variety of shapes and sizes of sealants for customers.
The company stocks EPDM, Neoprene, Silicone, Nitrile and Dual Durometer extrusions for Just in Time Delivery. Clean Seal also offers vulcanizing services, custom cutting, die cutting, and the application of heat activated adhesive tapes to the extruded rubber and foam seals.
They also provide a line of rubber hose including gas tank fill hose and recently added line of electromagnetic shielding products. Visit their website at www.cleanseal.com.

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.

Motor State Distributing and Allstar Performance join McMillen for remaining 2011 NHRA season

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WATERVLIET, Mich.  – NHRA Top Fuel driver Terry McMillen announced today that the team’s quest to make the NHRA Countdown to the Championship would have added support from Lane Automotive subsidiaries Motor State Distributing and Allstar Performance. McMillen’s Amalie Oil / UNOH team has been a Top 10 contender all season long.

“We’re extremely excited about our partnership with Motor State Distributing and Allstar Performance,” McMillen said. “From Street Rods to Hot Rods and from drag strips to circle tracks, they have the parts we all need to go fast.”

“Terry McMillen is a perfect for for our companies,” said Scott Whalstrom, Marketing Manager at Motor State Distributing. “This gives us a great opportunity to expand our brand in the NHRA Drag Racing Series.”

“I had the opportunity to visit with George Lane recently,” McMillen said. “His office is full of cool photos of dragsters he built and raced back in the day. It was awesome to share stories with one of the great innovators of our sport. Plus we met a lot of UNOH graduates working there. It was pretty cool to say the least.”

Motor State Distributing founder George Lane built and raced dragsters in the late 1950’s and while his racing time tapered off with the success of the speed shops, he always remained faithful to his hot rodding roots. He and wife Janet still maintain an interest in the company, but sons Doug and Dave carry on the family tradition of  providing quality automotive performance parts and accessories, prompt, courteous service and fair pricing.

Allstar Performance is dedicated to making all aspects of car construction quicker, easier and less expensive. Whether it’s small brackets, linkages, fittings or specialized tools, Allstar Performance has the answers for race car and hot rod builders alike. Many of their “one-off” designs can’t be found anywhere else and are manufactured by skilled craftsman, many of whom are racers themselves.

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.”

 

Ontario Grand Inn & Suites and Diamond Honda team up with McMillen for Pomona

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POMONA, Calif. — Terry McMillen’s Amalie Oil / UNOH Top Fuel Dragster crew will sleep in comfort and ride in style thanks to two southern California companies.

Ontario Grand Inn & Suites and Diamond Honda have partnered with McMillen for this weekend’s  51st annual NHRA Winternationals. The new relationships are already special to McMillen.

“Something like this really makes me realize how special southern California really is,” McMillen said. “The extended drag racing community reaches out beyond traditional motorsports sponsors here. These two companies have leaders that love drag racing and their support means a lot to our team.”

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UNOH joins McMillen’s Top Fuel Dragster as Major Associate Sponsor

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IMG_6480.JPGINDIANAPOLIS –The University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) and Terry McMillen’s Hoosier Thunder Motorsports announced a unique year-long partnership today that will make UNOH the Major Associate sponsor on McMillen’s Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster for the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season. 

The University of Northwestern Ohio is located in Lima Ohio and grants master’s, baccalaureate and associate degrees through their Colleges of Technologies, Business, and Distance Learning. The College of Technologies has a storied racing history with its involvement in ARCA, NASCAR, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 contested at the Bristol Motor Speedway and the UNOH Southern Slam 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Now UNOH joins McMillen on the NHRA tour to add drag racing to its list of racing involvement.

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Win a trip to Las Vegas next week at Parts Plus in New Mexico

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Albuquerque, N.M. — Terry McMillen will display his Amalie Oil Top Fuel dragster and sign autographs during a Parts Plus Customer Appreciation Day on Tuesday April 13 (1pm – 3pm) in Albuquerque New Mexico. One lucky person will win a trip to the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals April 16-18 compliments of Parts Plus, Amalie Oil and Hoosier Thunder Motorsports.

“Parts Plus has been a great distributor for Amalie,” McMillen said. “Having a chance to stop by, have some lunch and spend some time with them between Houston and Vegas is a special treat for us. We’re looking forward to making some new friends in New Mexico.”

What: Parts Plus Customer Appreciation – Albuquerque New Mexico

When: Tue, April 13, 1pm – 3pm

Where: 5900 Office Blvd NW Albuquerque NM 87109

Castrol Raceway teams up with Paradise RV and SMS Equipment for Rocky Mountain Nationals

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EDMONTON, Alta. – IHRA has announced that Paradise RV and SMS Equipment have teamed up with Castrol Raceway as partners for the upcoming River Cree Resort and Casino Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Paradise RV will serve as the presenting sponsor for the upcoming Nitro Jam race at Castrol Raceway while SMS Equipment will sponsor Saturday’s “Night of Fire” show. The River Cree Resort and Casino Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Paradise RV will be held July 3-5 at Castrol Raceway.

“We are excited to have Paradise RV and SMS Equipment come onboard for the Rocky Mountain Nationals. It is always one of the biggest drag racing events of the year and we look forward to working together to put on a great show for the Edmonton race fans,” said Castrol Raceway owner Kimberly Reeves.

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Winning one for Amalie – McMillen’s big goal

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DALLAS – Terry McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil / Wolverine Boots and Apparel Top Fuel Dragster, has a Texas sized week planned in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. All of the plans lead to one ultimate goal for McMillen – to win the Amalie Oil IHRA Texas Nationals.

In his tenth season partnered with Amalie, McMillen has come close to winning a race sponsored by Amalie, including two final round losses last season in San Antonio and Epping, NH. He took pride in watching his InstiGator Funny Car win in Epping last season with team driver Paul Noakes behind the wheel, but McMillen can’t find satisfaction until he drives his Amalie dragster into the winner’s circle.

“This is a huge race for us in many ways,” McMillen said. “Racing for Amalie at their event, in front of their guests, always raises the level of expectation for us. It would mean a lot to our team to get this win for Amalie.”

After visiting the Dallas Raceway a few weeks ago, McMillen is also excited about racing at the new facility. “This is a beautiful track in a huge market for Amalie and IHRA,” McMillen said. “To see what Kenny Barnes and his staff have put together is amazing. His attention to the details have been nothing short of phenomenal. Fans and racers are going to love this place.”

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