Clay Millican returns to familiar ground running his 2nd IHRA national event of the 2007 season. The result is a familiar one as the Tennessee-based racer records the 51st Top Fuel victory of his career winning the final round over T.J. Zizzo. Clay saves his best effort for the final round taking the RATT-sponsored dragster to a superb 4.576 secs (low ET) at 325.85 mph which turns back Zizzo’s gallant 4.685 secs at 321.73 mph.

Millican’s victory comes from the pole (4.585 secs) and he also reset the IHRA’s national speed record to 328.14 mph during qualifying.

T.J. Zizzo’s runner-up placing marked his 5th IHRA final round appearance of the season and increased his overall points lead to 26 over Bruce Litton with only the Rockingham World Finals remaining on the season calendar. Zizzo defeated Litton in a crucial semi-final round pairing; 4.759 secs to 4.815 secs.

After placing runner-up twice before this season, Texan Mitch King finally earned his first IHRA Ironman in Nitro Funny Car. Driving his Paul Smith-tuned and Bexar Waste-sponsored Pontiac Firebird, King ran a final round 5.133 secs at 289.45 mph to beat Jack Wyatt who was disqualified on a centerline violation.

King had beaten Todd Simpson in round one and then upset a tire-smoking Dale Creasy in the semi-final round.

Pro Stock racing features some stupendous performances including the quickest and fastest runs in class history courtesy of Ohio’s Brian Gahm. Gahm wheeled his Ford Mustang to both ends of the IHRA national record during qualifying when he ran 6.281 secs at 223.95 mph.

Gahm was however dealt out of competition in a close 1st round race by Frank Gugliotta; 6.336 secs to 6.331 secs. The Presidents Cup event Pro Stock crown was ultimately claimed by defending World Champion Pete Berner.

Berner wheeled his Pontiac GTO to a final round 6.307 secs at 222.40 mph to defeat Dean Goforth, also in a GTO, who ran 6.357 secs at 223.69 mph.

The 220-mph Pro Stock barrier received a brutal beating during the event with no less then 14 of the 16 qualifiers exceeding the mark.

Saturday’s event program included the prestigious Pro Stock Showdown presented by Torco and CompetitionPlus.com, an event that featuring the 8-quickest Pro Stock drivers in the world. New York’s John Nobile, the 8th and final seeded driver, won that feature defeating Frank Gugliotta’s Chevy in the final round; 6.304 secs 221.49 mph to 6.320 secs 222.51 mph. Nobile’s Ford Mustang had taken the measure of Robert Patrick and John Montecalvo in earlier competition to claim the $20,000 first prize.

In an unexpected event development lady racer Laurie Canister earned an exciting victory in Alcohol Funny Car. She was a late entry for the MIR event driving the Kabones Grilling Sauce-sponsored Camaro owned by Kevin and Wendy Sims. Laurie’s win was in fact her second career title in the class – her first had come at this event back in 2002.

In the final round Cannister turned back defending World Champion Mark Thomas recording a winning 5.780 secs at 245.49 mph compared to Thomas’ 5.845 secs at 245.09 mph.

AFC class racing attracted the biggest field of the season for the IHRA as 16 cars attempting qualifying runs. Iowa’s Dale Brand, recorded the quickest run in IHRA class history running a spectacular 5.604 secs driving his Chevy Camaro while pacing the field. Brand was not however able to back up that mark for a new national ET standard but he didn’t come away empty. He did grab the IHRA’s World speed mark at 249.39 mph while finishing in the semi-final round.

Thomas’ runner-up finish increased his overall points lead over Canada’s Rob Atchison to 37 points going into the season finale at Rockingham. Atchison, who had won at Milan the weekend before lost in round one to Dale Brand.

New York’s Mike Janis continued his spectacular late season surge in Pro Modified, winning his 2nd event in a row and third of the season. Janis moved to within striking distance of points leader Scott Cannon when he beat John Russo in the final round. Janis’ Eaton-sponsored Chevy Cavalier roared to a final round 6.025 secs at 241.63 mph to beat Russo’s new ’68 Firebird which ran 6.127 secs at 241.24 mph.

Janis, who entered eliminations 4th (6.055 secs), defeated Harold Martin, Quain Stott and Pat Stoken in earlier competition.

Scott Cannon flew to both low ET (5.938 secs) and to a national speed setting 242.63 mph while earning the pole. His ET is the quickest in IHRA PM class competition so far and he was also the only racer to run sub 6.0 secs at the Maryland event. Cannon lost out in round two to Russo when his ’68 Firebird shook the tires.