Sun, 20 Sep 2009, 09:46 PM Millican Loses in Opening Round at Charlotte

Courtesy of Joe Sherk

CONCORD, N.C. -- Clay Millican was his normal, affable self Sunday afternoon as he signed autographs and visited with many his fans at zMAX Dragway.

But inside, he was frustrated because he wasn't able to get his first round win in the opening Countdown to 1 championship event.

"The car just will not leave the starting line like we want it to," Millican said, "no matter how I mash the gas pedal, close my eyes or anything else at the starting line. But we aren't going to give up. Lance (Larsen, crew chief) and the guys will be looking everywhere to find the problem in the next couple of days before they go to Dallas."

Matched against five-time reigning Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher in the first round, Millican guided the Hope4Sudan/Motorvation dragster to a 1,000-foot time of 3.922 seconds at 311.62 mph to Schumacher's 3.861 at 311.63.

Millican has 2,031 points going into the second of six playoff races -- and No. 2 of four in a row -- at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, near Dallas, Friday through Sunday.

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