NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

You can see the transcript of our conversation below and listen to more great conversations with NHRA drag racers by subscribing to the NHRA National Dragster podcast on Spotify. 

Jake Sundstrom: So, where were you when you found out that we were not going to be racing in Gainesville?

Clay Millican: I was already in our pit area, was working on some projects for the car. And it was, was kind of one of those things where because of Doug Stringer's connections to NASCAR we were already getting some texts; or, Doug was getting texts from his friends in NASCAR that they were, they were talking about either having the race with no fans or canceling the race, which obviously, they've got us wondering, you know, what was going to happen. 

Clay Millican: It's pretty obvious that if there's enough concern that NASCAR is thinking about calling the race that something was going to happen with us. So I was already, you know, at the track and working you know we had our awnings up and we were expecting somewhere around 700 guests from Parts Plus. So, we had rented we were setting up lots of tables and chairs and we were well underway to and all that. Done.

Jake Sundstrom: Sure.

Clay Millican: You know, with the rumors kind of started bouncing around not only from us or from other people and so I was at the track.

Jake Sundstrom: Right, and it will, what is the process like for you guys out that the event is not going on anymore and then it's tear everything down and pack up and leave it. There is there an image, Wayne step at between tearing everything down and going or what's that process, like?

Clay Millican: Well, I mean, not just me but pretty much everybody on our team. You know, it was kind of a moment of like is this happening you know? Are we really at the Gatornationals and it's not raining and we're not going to race, you know? So a lot of disbelief, but at the same time it was like, yeah, it's happening you know, this is pretty serious and so we sat down as a group among those hundreds and hundreds of tables and chairs that we already had set up and a we kinda mapped out you know a game plan for our team. Obviously we were ready to go for the weekend and I mean you know there are always things that need to be done and can be done in any race team there's always stuff that can be done. So that's kind of what we did we all just sit down as a group made plans for getting some of those projects done.

Clay Millican: Then we adjourned that meeting and began the process of tearing down everything along with, you know, rebooking a lot of flights and I'm trying to figure out how to get everybody home and, and it's just been weird. I mean, you know man, before you started recording you know, we just, we both were kind of like, it's just. It's not funny and it's scary but at the same time all you can do is just, you know, like you said, hey, we're alive and we're here and, and just, it's a weird time.

Jake Sundstrom: Yeah, I mean you, you talked a little bit about seeing people talking about this in the NASCAR world, they're not the only one that was going through this at the same time Formula 1 was kind of ahead of us and IndyCar was going through the same thing and I think we certainly heard of all of this and the reason I think we all kind of knew where this is going was because the NBA went through this before all of us, a few days ahead of time. So, I think a lot of this process was just sitting around waiting to see if something was going to happen because, you know, I think it's pretty obvious people know neither of us has any great insight into what's going on. The people make decisions about what's going to happen whether it's at the government level or the organizational level -- we're not in on those conversations and I think I'm pretty comfortable not being in those conversations.

Jake Sundstrom: So it's kind of waiting or being passengers right? I mean it's basically where it's like when you get into the into the dragster and Kloeber has put a tune-up in the car and you then drive the car but you're not involved in the tune-up. I mean, it can be stressful at times but what was it like that day knowing that these conversations are happening but that you're not involved in that decision making process? How do you guys mitigate that and try to handle that as a team?

Clay Millican: I mean, you know from being the driver slash sometimes cheerleader you know it was... there was nothing to cheer about at all you know it's not like hey, we got a day off work. It wasn't like that at all I mean it.

Clay Millican: Again I have to go back to you know like disbelief but in my life, and I'm quite a bit older than you, but I've never, you know, never in this country. Have we ever had anything like this? We see it on the news where you know it happens in other countries but not here, you know. So it was just, just a real thing and, and one of the guys before the official announcement was made that we were not racing, they were following along with their phone a little bit and you know I think our real indication of this is bad is when the NCAA Tournament was canceled. That's when we knew that was like huge you know?

Clay Millican: Whether you're a basketball fan or not or whatever. I mean, that is by far one of the largest sporting events that happen in this country period, you know? When that happened, you know, it's like, wow, you know, that's unbelievable and, you know, some of the same things we heard was, you know, they're going to have the tournament without fans and then suddenly that's not happening -- but for us, you know, it's one of those things like, what do you do next? 

Clay Millican: You always packed up and all those things are the same and what was some weird about this one. and I said this to some people via text, you know, when it all comes down it's like, I don't think I've ever been to a race track before where we didn't at the very least at some point start the race car you know? It is Thursday. but we've got the car out and things are going on and you know we did very well at Gainesville last year. You know it was we got all these guests coming so there was watch a lot of preparation that goes into every race but especially Gainesville for us. Because again you know we have that's just a huge Parts Plus area the warehouse was bringing you know, all these people and, and there's so many other things that had happened once, once we found out that the event wasn't happening, it was getting people home changing flights we had to work with the catering company that there was gonna provide all the food we've got a contact, you know, all the people within Parts Plus to let them know not to come.

Clay Millican: Even right now you know it's like okay we got the message today you know that 30 days and it looks like hopefully Houston we'll be back and all we can do is keep our fingers crossed that this crazy virus, you know, goes away and works this way through the system. However, all that works, you know that people can get back to work, you know and we're entertainment for a lot of people but for guys like me and you... this is what we do. And if there is no racing, we have no job, you know, and so really you know we are in the entertainment business and people you know love what we do but if we can't have fans, we can't have races, and if we can't have races then that means you and me are back at Kroger driving a forklift if that job is still available you know? So it's scary. It is.

Jake Sundstrom: Absolutely and I'm certainly most sympathetic, and I know we've talked about this before as you know, the guys that work on the race car and the people that work at the race track you got. Yeah, those are the people that are making even less money than we are and you know, that's, that's something that they rely on for their livelihood and speaking of that aspect of it during this period of time when we're not racing. I mean. what if anything is there work that can be done to prepare for the rest of the season?

Clay Millican: Yeah, I mean, we actually had a conference call earlier today and that was exactly what we were talking about. 

Clay Millican: We change the body on the race car a couple of times during the year because of sponsor and those are announcements that haven't been made yet but preparations are already getting done. We got another body that has to be done and so we're just accelerating the process. In other words, there's one body at the shop right now that is getting close to done. We will go pick that up. We'll take them another body. They can start all that a centrally what we're doing is accelerating the plans that we had in place for things that we know are going to be done but they were going to be done later on -- Doug told all the guys get every single thing done that we could as soon as possible.

Jake Sundstrom: And obviously, I mean sitting here I mean it looks like we're in a situation where I haven't left my house in three days and so, nothing would make me happier than racing eight weekends in a row as I say it now but I imagine that once we get into it, and you and I have been on the road and at the same hotels for several weeks in a row, we're gonna want to kill each other and that goes for the guys working on your race car. So, your bottom end and clutch guy are never going to want to see each other again Does that put extra pressure on a team like yours because of its relatively small budget compared with other teams?

Clay Millican: 100 percent it will. You know if we, do you know the theoretical as you just said eight in a row it puts a massive strain on us just for the simple fact the amount of inventory we have is not able, not able to withstand eight in a row you know. So if we start racing eight in a row that, at that point you know, just like, okay, it's got to be very careful. They're qualified to make sure we get through the race and then we got to think about the following week and the following week and the following week. So yes, things are very concerning you know, to small teams like ours you know to where we don't dent the inventory and have to send parts out for repair when we need them back the following week. 

Clay Millican: I shouldn't say the following week -- you need them back in a few days after you send them you know? So, yeah, you know that's the stuff that we can't predict in this predicament we're in. 

Jake Sundstrom: When you talk about inventory is that a case of how much you guys can carry? Is that what makes you guys different than some other teams?

Clay Millican: I mean you know it's, it's not just carrying it. It's just you know the amount that we have, you know we've only got, I don't even know what the numbers are. We have  a certain number of short blocks and that's all we got, you know where the big teams have probably double what they need, and maybe more, probably more if you start sharing them amongst their teammates. So, if we have a bad weekend then we could be out of short blocks. So, that's the hard part of this situation.

Jake Sundstrom: Got it. So, the way you've been racing this year -- it's been pretty consistent but not all that quick. What do you think about how you've been so far, without thinking too much about the results?

Clay Millican: To be honest with you, I'm pretty happy. The consistency I would say is definitely up and the ETs are up as well which you do not want but we know that we can bring the ETs back down you know, we have been looking for the consistency thing without hurting anything and you know, we know that we need to pick the ETs up you know, make them go a little quicker and we know how to do that but we want to be able to do it and have all of our parts look the way they look the way we're currently being. I felt like I walked in a circle now but you know what I'm saying like the, the motors are looking pretty good now, and our game plan was to bring the ETs back down and try to maintain the niceness if that's a word, you know, which everybody's always trying to do that but, you know, we rocked out early last year and we kinda did not do well in the Countdown and so we're trying to, this year maybe not rock out so hard early but try to be there at the end when it really counts, you know.

Clay Millican: I mean we made five final rounds and did all those school things last year in my first year back with Kloeber but when it all counted you know, we didn't do very well and so this year we're trying to be more aware of, you know, making a better plan and, and we're starting that plan with consistency and then we'll work back towards the consistency.

Jake Sundstrom: Right, exactly. Alright man. Well hey I really appreciate you taking the time and everything and you know hopefully we'll get back out to a race track soon -- be safe.

Clay Millican: Alright buddy thank you -- if you need anything call.