Rick Ware Racing, Clay Millican Collect Landmark Victory in NHRA U.S. Nationals

Rick Ware Racing, with its diverse motorsport profile, is focusing on achieving its first ever NASCAR Cup Series race win. In the meantime, the team is gathering accolades outside the realm of stock car racing. Their most recent triumph occurred at the Top Fuel final at the NHRA U.S. Nationals event on Monday, located at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

After progressing in the tournament, Clay Millican from RWR faced Steve Torrence in the finals. As the two drivers heated their rear tires and started shifting through gears, Torrence experienced a tire smoke issue. This caused his top fuel dragster to cross the finish line at a reduced speed of 192.30 mph. In contrast, Millican had a flawless run, easily outracing Torrence, and crossed the finish line at an impressive speed of 327.82 mph.

For the first time in his legendary NHRA career, the 58-year-old Millican captured the Wally in the NHRA U.S. Nationals, and it came on a day where Rick Ware stood on hand to see the driver, who underwhelmed by qualifying 13th, complete the rally through the fierce field to take the win.

A jubilant Millican expressed that the victory was equivalent to “A lifetime of work, right there. Plus, my sisters are present.”

Rick Ware was present to witness his driver, who had only qualified in the 13th position, rally through a competitive field to secure a victory. This happened on a day when the win was achieved. Additionally, the driver, Millican, accomplished this with a new major partner, Arby’s, on his race car.

“Parts Plus, my love for you guys is undeniable, having been with me for over a decade now. I must also mention Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Arrowhead Brass, and Arby’s! Our first victory came with Arby’s sponsorship on the racecar. It’s truly amazing,” Millican expressed. “I’m thrilled at the thought of seeing Rick Ware. He was present at the starting line for the first time when I hit the accelerator and emerged victorious at the U.S. Nationals!”

The recent victory on Monday marked another high point for Rick Ware Racing in 2024. The organization, previously considered more of a joke than a serious competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series, has made significant advancements this season. This progress has led to a decrease in the number of mocking memes on social media.

Justin Haley, the primary driver of the team’s No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, achieved the first two top-10 finishes at non-superspeedway races in the history of the team earlier this year. He accomplished ninth-place finishes at Darlington Raceway in May and World Wide Technology Raceway in June.

A few weekends ago, at the Daytona International Speedway’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, Haley appeared to have a race-winning car as he led the roaring pack for 21 laps in the 164-lap event. However, he was unfortunately involved in a huge crash on the 153rd lap, which led to him being awarded a 32nd-place finish.

Despite Haley’s disappointment, it was a triumphant night for the Rick Ware Racing team. Cody Ware, son of Rick Ware, steered the team’s No. 15 entry to an impressive fourth-place finish. This matched the team’s highest ever finish in the NASCAR Cup Series competition.

Though Haley didn’t make it to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff field, the driver and team are determined to finish the last 10 races of the 2024 season on a high note. Additionally, Millican’s recent victory at IRP on Monday might just be the boost the NASCAR Cup Series program needs to secure a win for Rick Ware Racing.

The NASCAR Cup Series is set to take place this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The speedway, since its remodeling in 2022, has been known for its wild superspeedway racing, akin to Daytona and Talladega. The No. 15 and 51 cars, which were high-performing at Daytona, will be aiming to replicate their speed in Atlanta this weekend.