Mon, 16 Feb 2009, 09:06 PM Millican's Drag Race High program begins Wednesday Night (2/18) on SPEED TV

Courtesy of Joe Sherk

Teachers Stephen Jennings of El Camino High School (black shirt on left) and Robert Grace of Ramona (blue shirt on right) hold the Drag Race High championship trophy with program host/judge Clay Millican (black shirt in middle) prior to the beginning of competition

Clay Millican plans to be hunkered down in front of his television set at 10 p.m. (ET) Wednesday night, Feb. 18, watching the debut of Drag Race High on Speed TV. And he hopes a lot more interested viewers will be tuning in, too.

Over the next 10 weeks, viewers will see high school auto shop students from San Diego-area high schools Ramona and El Camino build competitive cars to race each other for the Drag Race High championship.

"I've already had a sneak peek at the first episode and it is very good," said Millican, the program's Head Judge and host. "All of the episodes lead up to the big final showdown race at Fontana, Calif. In case you miss the first show, it will be repeated during the week. I think the show's 7 p.m. start in California is fantastic."

Millican was joined by Cruz Pedregon, two-time NHRA Funny Car champion, who is also a judge on the program.

Drag Race High was created by Rich Christensen. The two schools received $10,000 each to start the project. TV cameras followed the classes as they built their cars. Students were required to do all of the work and they were permitted to raise money for the project. In addition to the $10,000 given to the schools by Speed the students had to go out and find sponsorship to help complete their race cars. "This is a lot like what the professional drag racing teams do," added Millican.

Millican, driver of the Hope4Sudan/Motorvation NHRA Top Fuel dragster, returns to competition Friday when the Lucas Oil Slick Mist Nationals begins its three-day run at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz.

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