Clay Millican and the talented Werner Enterprises Top Fuel team vault into the IHRA history books at Virginia Motorsports Park by winning for the 33rd time to become the organization’s all-time winning team. When Millican beat opponent Bruce Litton in the final round he also keeps his perfect 2004 season record in tact. Clay carded a winning 4.647 secs at 315.56 mph while Litton shut off. Litton had advanced to the final round based on two singles when neither of his scheduled opponents, Bobby Lagana Jr., or Chris Karamesines could make the call.

The best Top Fuel run of the weekend comes in round one courtesy of Millican who speeds to both ends of the VMP track record at 4.590 secs and 316.52 mph. Top Fuel class racing at Virginia is a pretty good show with 16 cars entered for the 8-car field. The bump spot is a 4.968 secs, making it the second quickest in IHRA history. For the record -- only one injected nitro car shows for the event driven by Keith Stark. Starks runs a 5.310 secs at 269.29 mph but that is only good for 12th.

New York’s John Nobile also makes history at the event -- in Pro Stock running his Mountain-motored Ford Escort. Nobile ran the quickest and fastest times ever seen in the class and came away with both ends of IHRA’s official national record. Nobile ran a stunner on Saturday when he clocked the first ever 215-mph speeds in Pro Stock class racing history including a record setting 215.37-mph. Nobile followed that up with a 6.473 secs ET during Sunday’s round one of eliminations. That number nipped the IHRA’s previous national ET record of 6.476 secs set by Brian Gahm at Grand Bend in 2003.

In the end however Nobile was not able to turn all that speed into victory as he lost out in the semis to defending World Champion Brian Gahm. Gahm, who had failed to qualify at the first two events in 2004, went on to take the title when he beat Pete Berner in an all Ford Mustang final round.

Pro Stock racing at VMP actually did steal the show as it was a super quick affair with all 16 qualified cars running quicker then 6.587 secs or quicker. In total the class racing attracted 31 drivers including a couple of unexpected entries from the Caribbean country of Aruba. Andre Loonstra (driving a ‘04 Escort) and Adelbertus Kelkbom (driving an ‘02 Cavalier) each made qualifying attempts but missed the cut.

IHRA’s new Pro Mod 20% supercharger overdrive rules kicked into effect at the event and that did produce the desired effect for the class -- with 8 nitrous-injected and 8 supercharged cars qualifying. Mike Castellana, who won at the NHRA AMS event at Joliet the previous weekend, earned his second career IHRA national event title when he beat Steve Vick to the stripe; 6.287 secs 223.14 mph to 8.154 secs at 122.08 mph in an all nitrous-injected final round. Castellana’s only previous IHRA career win had come at Toronto’s ACDelco Canadian Nationals last summer.

The PM field was paced by Von Smith who ran a 6.179 secs driving the very popular supercharged Dr. Moon “Rage” Mustang. The Moon team was once again a top attraction. In addition to the pole qualifying effort they had “the Nurse” on hand to help inspire the crowd. Smith shook the tires hard in round two and lost out to Steve Vick.

In Alcohol Funny Car, defending World Champion Robbie Atchison from London appeared primed and ready to earn his first win of the season. He absolutely dominated qualifying as well as eliminations driving the London-based Erickson Manufacturing Pontiac Firebird -- but came up just short. Atchison set low ET and top speed at 5.762 secs 241.97 mph (track records) in time trials and had the quickest runs during each and every round of eliminations -- including the final. The title bout however saw 5X World Champion Mark Thomas get away first and then hang on for a very narrow holeshot win; 5.896 secs 239.87 mph to 5.878 secs 239.78 mph. The win kept Thomas undefeated this season and was his 21st career national event victory.

The 2004 version of the Moser “Axle Mania” was run off at the event. That race within a race featured a select field of 32 IHRA Sportsman-only racers in 1/8th mile competition. Gil Cary Jr (from Virginia) won the $22,500 first place payout driving his Super Stock ’67 Nova when he defeated the Top Dragster of Steve Furr in the final round.

Pro Mod qualifying included one incident when Paul Athey, from New York, flipped the supercharged Mohengan Sun ’63 Corvette on Saturday. Athey shook the tires very hard coming off the line and then lost control putting the car’s shiny side down. Damage was however in fact minimal and Paul was not injured.

Top Sportsman racing at Virginia was a ferocious affair with no less then 71 cars entered for the eliminator. The 48-car bump spot dipped to a 7.242 secs which was reported to be the all time quickest field in TS history. The final round was won by 2nd generation driver Jamie Silance who took his nitrous-injected Chevy S-10 to a final round win over Ron Folk. West Virginia’s Dane Robinson, driving a ‘94 Lumina, anchored the field after qualifying with a 6.722 secs time.

Top Stock racing on Saturday night featured the first career win by Danny Byrd who drove his Missouri-based ‘67 Nova past Monty Bogan Jr., in the championship final. Byrd won from the 8th qualified spot. Only 10 cars showed for the soon to be deleted Top Stock racing category.

IHRA’s rumour mill goes into overdrive at the event with lots of speculation about what the format for national events will be in 2005. While IHRA officials will confirm very little at this point indications are that IHRA Pro car racing may become more condensed and one day affairs. The possibility of “booked in” feature cars and the elimination of some classes may be on the horizon. The objective according to our sources is to give IHRA co-owner Clear Channel a more marketable TV package. An apparent internal struggle within IHRA also began to show itself. Some senior people in fact offered completely opposite visions of what is to come.