Added to last week's runner-up at Topeka, Kan., Millican was able to erase a 105-point deficit and take a one-point lead over Joe Hartley, 397-396, with eight races remaining before the beginning of the Countdown to the Championship.

"We have a good race car now that can compete with anybody," said Millican, driver of the Hope4Sudan/Motorvation dragster. "This team is focused right now. Going seven rounds in two races is more than we went all year. Our goal coming in here was to get in the top 10 and now we've done that."

He defeated J.R. Todd and Brandon Bernstein to reach the semifinals.

Millican's path to a second final round in a row was blocked by Antron Brown, who drove away when Millican's car smoked the tires. Brown, Sunday's eventual runner-up, was timed in 3.871 seconds, 309.70 mph to a coasting 5.306 at 126.27 mph.

"I don't like to lose, but if I was going to lose to anyone, I'm glad it was Antron," Millican said. "We have a good working relationship with his Matco team.

"We knew we needed make our car run quicker and it was very close to making it, but we just didn't quite get away with. We had a great weekend, though. It's really coming together. We have a good group guys on our team."

Millican came within seven-thousandths of a second of going home early Sunday. That was his winning margin over Todd. Millican played catch up and just did get there in time, winning with a 3.891 at 306.33 mph to Todd's 3.910 at 306.81. Todd had a slight starting-line advantage, .076 to .064.

"I knew he was there all the way down the track," Millican continued. "I watched the scoreboard to see if our win light came on and, fortunately it did. That was a good drag race - and winning by seven thousandths of a second is ridiculously close."

He led all the way in his second straight decision over Bernstein, 3.904, 302.48 to 3.916, 309.84.

"We're on a good roll," Millican concluded.

The team's third consecutive event begins Friday in Englishtown, N.J.

Courtesy of Joe Sherk