← Herm & Schrader
Herm & Schrader
Clay Millican: Drag Racing Champion On Beating Tony Stewart, Dealing With Family Heartbreak, & Becoming A YouTuber!
01:16:14
Drag racing champion Clay Millican is full of stories and might be one of the few personalities in motorsports who can match the energy of Kenny Wallace
Loading summary
Transcript260 lines
- [00:02]
Kenny Wallace
Speed, thrill and non stop action. It might sound like NASCAR, but we're talking about Chumba Casino. Proud partner of 2311 Racing it's always free to play. No purchase necessary. Sign up to Chumba Casino and receive your free welcome offer. Play for Fun and play for free today. Whether it's slots, bingo, blackjack and more. With new games released every week, you always have something new to play and catch the Chumba brand across all three teams, which is a first for 23xi drivers Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick and Riley Herbst. I don't know the game those drivers like, but I sure do like blackjack. That's my favorite. Play for free@chumbacasino.com free welcome bonus at signup 2 million free gold coins and 2 free sweeps coins. Follow Chumba Casino on social or log in every day for free daily coins. No purchase necessary. VGW Group voidware prohibited by law. See terms and conditions 21/sponsored by Chumba Casino Creativity is at the heart of.
- [01:15]
Adobe Creative Cloud
Everything you do, and Adobe Creative Cloud helps you take your projects to the next level no matter what you're working on this semester, build pro level skills and create your best work with Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and over 20 other powerful creative apps. Students save over 65% on Adobe Creative Cloud. The go to toolkit for everything from class projects to standout portfolios. Make your ideas shine in and out of the classroom. Visit adobe.com students to save big today.
- [01:45]
Kenny Wallace
Hello everyone and welcome back to Kenny Conversation, brought to you by jegs, the leader in high performance aftermarket car parts. Remember to go to JEGS.com for anything you need to fix your everyday vehicle up or even your hot rod. Man, am I jacked up on Sundrop. You looking at him? The winner of the 2025 Winter Nationals out in Pomona. Top Fuel, NHRA, Clay Millike and Clay, how you doing, man?
- [02:19]
Clay Milliken
I'll tell you what, I'm pumped up and excited to be on the I love your show. And you, when you called me yesterday, it was funny. You said, well, Benny Parsons told me if you'll be on the show, all you gotta do is win. So you didn't. You ain't lying. I won. Here I am, I'm on the show.
- [02:39]
Kenny Wallace
And Clay, I was young when Benny told me that made me so mad. I'm like, show me on tv. Show me on tv. And he says, you run up front, Herman. We'll show you. So I felt, I truly felt bad calling you, you know, when you won, I'm like, oh, he Won. Now, but we talked at Sturgis last year, and you and I were involved in brother Rusty's charity ride.
- [03:04]
Clay Milliken
Yep.
- [03:05]
Kenny Wallace
And I'm so glad that we met and exchanged phone numbers and. Well, listen, let's get right to it. We're gonna celebrate you, but let's. Let's kind of do it backwards. Let's go right now, and then we'll go and we'll go through your career a little bit.
- [03:20]
Clay Milliken
Can I tell real quick Sturgis story, though?
- [03:23]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I love this.
- [03:26]
Clay Milliken
So I was. I was, obviously, I was excited to get invited to brother Rusty, as you say, you know, charity ride. And through all of Rick Ware's American flat track racing, I've become friends with Mike Hilton, which is crazy. Mike Hilton knew who I was the first time I saw him. Anyway, me and you, I know we're going to make this long, and I'll try to speed this up.
- [03:48]
Kenny Wallace
No, you're good. We got plenty time.
- [03:50]
Clay Milliken
All right, so it's at Sturgis. I see him during the charity ride, and he's like, hey, you're going to be here for the race Sunday, right? I said, yes, sir. And he said, I want you to watch from my hotel room. I got a room up above the street, and I want you to be in that room and watch with me. I'm like, I'm there. Which was awesome, because you. Your brother was there, Stephen was there. I mean, you know, all these fricking heroes of mine, you know, from the NASCAR world, and. And he's got this amazing view of this kind of street, hybrid American flat track race that was going on in downtown Sturgis. Anyway, you know, the. The NASCAR race is on inside the hotel room. You can walk out on the balcony while I walk in there. And it's coming up on the closing laps, and Austin Dillon is behind. Oh, I remember the last couple laps there, and. And I didn't know all these people in the room, but I said, y'all know Austin Dillon's fixing to crash somebody to win this race. Well, as we all know, he didn't crash one. He crashed two. And I'm like, I told y'all. And I turn around and look, and there's Mike Elton. And I'm like, that was exciting. He said, yep. And them boys are going to be in the truck in just a few minutes.
- [05:11]
Kenny Wallace
And, Clay, I. You know, listen, it's about you, but you brought this up years ago. I'm out in Phoenix, and I got a story to respond to you. And I Think it's worth telling? So I'm out in Phoenix, and, you know, you take these truck and trailers. You know how it goes with nhra. The truck and trailer leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, goes all the way across the United States. We're racing Phoenix. We're early in the race. I get underneath John Andretti at Phoenix, and John comes down, and we hit. Well, my right front tire starts smoking, and they're black flagging me, and I'm like, no, I'm not coming in. Well, they're like, we're going to pull your scorecard if you don't come in, Herman. NASCAR's mad. So the race goes on, and my race is ruined because I got a pit under caution. Mike Helton is so mad at me, he finds me $10,000, and he says, herman, what did Dale Earnhardt Senior do at Rockingham when we black flagged him? I said, he pitted. He said, okay. But he ruined my. My. It was Halloween, and I took a check to Mike. He reduced it to $7,500 with a little letter from my daughter because it ruined my whole family's Halloween. And My daughter wrote, Mr. Mike Kelton, you are ignoranimous, Moosehead. And I gave it to him, and he said, oh. He starts laughing as I'm giving him the $7,500 check, and he goes, I'm gonna show this to Mr. You know, Bill France. At the time, he was still living junior. And after that, me. Me and Mr. Mike became best friends, and we still learned. Don't mess with Mike Kelton. He's big in stature.
- [07:07]
Clay Milliken
Yes. Yes.
- [07:09]
Kenny Wallace
So I. I appreciate your story. I get it. Okay, enough of that. You are the man of the hour. You're looking at him. I'm in awe just staring at you right now. The. Your big win over the weekend was not a normal win. You know, I don't. You could straighten it out. To me, it's like the US Nationals and then Pomona. How do you rate it as a drag racer? Is what is the biggest. What's second biggest?
- [07:40]
Clay Milliken
All right, so it's. It's pretty cool you bring this up, because it was a conversation amongst my crew chiefs, my two crew chiefs, because they're old like me, but the kids that work on race car, they may not get it, to put it in golf terms. Indy Winter Nationals, Gator Nationals. Those are our three majors, or they would be called crown jewels in the NASCAR sense. So I won Daytona last year, which would be the U.S. nationals.
- [08:07]
Kenny Wallace
Yes.
- [08:08]
Clay Milliken
And I guess yes. Or Sunday. We won Darlington Yes. I think that might be the way to put it in NASCAR terms. So I got one more major I gotta win, and that would be Gainesville. I already screwed that up for this year, but we got a shot at it next year. But don't think I ain't gonna try to win some more. 40 years over with. I'm just saying.
- [08:25]
Kenny Wallace
Well, we. Oh, my God, I love this. I'm happy that I, you know, I don't. Listen, I. I respect you all so much that I'm not going to pretend that I know all about drag racing. I know a little bit, just enough to get me in trouble. I am happy that I did not screw that up. So you did win the second. You've won the top two. Because we're going to talk about the U.S. nationals in a little bit that you won last year. Okay, let's just go start. Let's go from the starting line. Okay, you're up against Tony Stewart. Smoke. Okay. Tony's driving Leah Pruitt's car. She had the baby. She's out of the car. Tony's in the car. Tony's been, you know, drag racing for about three years now. He's one of the greatest talents of all time. He's really good. And let me just give you the ball right now, then I want to talk to you after you get me through the start finish line. Okay, you're on the. You're at Pomona a week ago. You're on the line. And Tony Stewart has not won a drag race yet. Take me through it.
- [09:32]
Clay Milliken
So Jim Oberhofer, Jim O. As he's known, he's my crew chief. And I'm in the lounge, I'm getting my fire suit on, ready for the final, and Jimmo is facing away from me because he's looking at all these squiggly lines to tune the car. And all this is going on. And he spins around. When Jimmo does a chair spinner on you, that means he's got something important to say. Because most time he'll just talk to the computer screen. And I can hear him. He spins around. He's like, we got a few things going to happen here. He said, I got this thing loaded up. We're either going to win. Are we going to blow up? Or we're going to be a footnote in history if we lose. And giving Tony Stewart his first ever Top Fuel win. Well, he. He did get two of the three correct. Cause we did win, and we did blow up. It was a big boomer in the Final round, but back to the starting line once you've gone a few rounds. I don't know how to really put this in NASCAR terms, Kenny. You know, you, you've been there and you've won races. You know, it's like once you get going, the nerves are not necessarily as bad as early in the race. And I'm. That's kind of a NASCAR turn for me. First round to qualify, man, the butterflies are hammering. First round of elimination. They're hammering. They're there. And I'm not saying I'm not excited and not got nerves, but once you've went four rounds to make it to or you've went three rounds to make it to the final, and then you just kind of like get that helmet on and it's like, let's freaking go, you know, and you got to keep all them little guys that are in your head telling you, you know, don't screw up the burnout, don't freaking red light, don't two step, which is where you, you're like, you want to go, but it's not time to go. And you, you hit the throttle partly or whatever. You got to get all those things out of, out of that what's going on. And me and you got a lot going on in our head because it's non stop chatter in, in our head.
- [11:29]
Kenny Wallace
We are off centered for sure, but we're awesome. We're awesome.
- [11:34]
Clay Milliken
But when you have those days where you can like just, I mean, get it in there like this and, and all that noise is gone and the only thing you're hearing is that nitro fricking power behind you and you roll up and you know that this is a major. And you know, you don't want Tony Stewart to beat you and become part of that history that you don't want to be a part of, of being the guy that let him get his first win. But when I left the starting line, I knew I had a good reaction time, like, oh, I caught that light good. And I stomped on that loud pedal, as I always say. And, and I'm going, and I'm like, this is bad, but it's just true. As a driver, I shouldn't be looking around because, you know, I ain't got 40 other guys out there trying to bump me. But, but you'll, you'll catch your eyes. So you'll catch your eyes going over. It's like I don't really hear him and I don't see him. But as I'm going and we kind of get past what we call the shake zone, which is a. From, like, starting line to, like, call it 300ft. Sometimes they'll shake the tires, and then they go into tire smoke. And once you get by that, you almost get a little relief because you know the car is going to finish the run. Well, I'm. I'm through that spot, and the next thing I know, this thing, literally, it kabooms like, boom. And I'm now coasting. And, of course, you got all your hans device and all this stuff on, but I'm coasting, and I'm waiting to hear him. Like, I'm waiting on Tony to come roaring by me, and I've got my han stretched as far as I can. I'm trying to look over into that right lane, and we got those panels, so it's. It's hard to see. But I'm like, oh, please, finish line. Please, finish line. You know, I'm just wanting that finish line to just come by me. And it did. And as a driver, you can see the scoreboard. I'm. I look at that sometimes, too. Why I wiggle around. But. But on the. The guardrail, after you cross the finish line, there's a light bulb, and if it's on, that means you won. Well, I don't blew the rat crap out of this thing. And it's natural instinct, or it should be for a driver, when you blow up to pull out of the groove. That way, the track cleanup's not so bad. Even though we were the final race of the day, I pull over, and I'm on the radio. I knew we won, but I say on the radio, did we win? There was a little hesitation, and then they're like, we won. You know, and so then I kind of lose my crap. And. And now I'm like, I see smoke. So I got to hop out of the car and see how bad it is.
- [14:07]
Kenny Wallace
And.
- [14:08]
Clay Milliken
And then the next thing I'm thinking is, I want to get off the racetrack, because I want to go celebrate with my boys. You know, they're going to be coming down there to pick me up at the far end of the racetrack. And I also wanted to see Tony. I probably didn't want to see him the immediate second I won. We know he's a little fiery, and I got to tell a story about that, But I really wanted to get off the racetrack to see the kids that work on this car. I mean, drivers, we. You know, no fame, no blame, as they say. But the kids that work on this car make it special. For me, they give me the, the energy to just keep doing this. I mean, I'm 59 years old. I still love it. I don't, I don't think about anything else except cars and race cars, and I just want to keep going. But they give me just such a. A good feeling that, that I just want to celebrate their win for them.
- [14:58]
Kenny Wallace
So you just mentioned age. You're 59 years old out of Drummonds, Tennessee, and you look good.
- [15:05]
Clay Milliken
Thank you.
- [15:06]
Kenny Wallace
You look good. So when I watched the race and we got lucky because I feel like, you know, the winter nationals were, for some reason, I felt like they were prime time. It was just. Everybody was able to see it. It was on FS1. It just looked really good. For the people that didn't watch your race, you know, they're building it up and they're basically saying, this is Tony's to win. We're getting ready to set history and he smokes the tires right away. So you go on and win it. And we're going to keep talking about Victor Lane here in a minute. But when were you able to watch a replay of the race? Did you have to get back to the trailer? Did you do it at the airport last night? When did you watch a replay of the win?
- [15:54]
Clay Milliken
Pretty much, it was late. I mean, you know, again, you know, you got to go through all the winning process, you know, top end interviews, and then it's pretty cool what NHRA does. You know, they have three winners. You know, you got top field, funny car and pro stock. And they put you in the truck and they take you back down the track and everybody's flooded the racetrack and you get to speak to all the people there. So pretty much when I got back to the hotel, very, very late Sunday night.
- [16:22]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. That's awesome. So when I, when I was watching it, you know, I, I tune in on, I guess you could say, you know, when I was a kid growing up, they called it the human drama of athletic competition. You know, the, the agony of. Of defeat. A thrill of human drama. And after victory. Yeah. Right. So, you know, it looked like, you know, it appeared to me, unless Tony was hurting or something like that, it appeared like when he got out, he was devastated. In any insight to that. I mean, I know Tony, he was the very first Kenny conversation. Was he devastated?
- [17:06]
Clay Milliken
So I got to tell you about Tony after the race.
- [17:11]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [17:12]
Clay Milliken
After I finished in the media center, I've got my Wally in my hand, which is what we call our trophies.
- [17:18]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [17:19]
Clay Milliken
And I walked by his pit area and he's like, you just got to come by and rub it in, don't you? So it's me and my wife Donna. And so we stop, and I said, brother is coming. You're going to win one of these things. And without giving you the whole conversation, I have to say that I told him. And I had already said this in the media room. I'm a NASCAR fan, Kenny. My oldest son's name, Kale, after Kale Yarbrough.
- [17:45]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, my.
- [17:46]
Clay Milliken
If it had been up to me, my youngest son, Dalton, would have been named Kyle after Kyle Petty. But Donna said, you know, Kale, Kyle's too close if you got to yell at them when they need a spanking. So his name ended up being Dalton. But anyway, so I love.
- [18:01]
Kenny Wallace
I love you. I love you.
- [18:04]
Clay Milliken
Thank you. I love you, too, Kenny. So as. As I'm standing there face to face with Tony Stewart, I told him. I said, tony, I did not like you as a NASCAR driver. I said, I just didn't like you. And my wife's. Immediately, I did. And of course, he hugs her, you know, and he looks at me kind of, you know, like, with a question mark on his face. I said, I'm not the guy that. That likes, you know, the throwing helmets and the way you're fiery the way you are. I said, you know, I get out of the car when I lose, and. And I'll have a smile on my face, you know. And I said, me and you are just different that way. I said, but the very first time that I actually talked to you, right, was the day you were doing some testing in Leah's top fuel car. And people didn't know this at the time, but he was making some runs, and me and Donna were walking the dogs on a Monday at Charlotte there at Z Max, and him and Leah pull over and. And I said, well, how was it today? And he says to me, my brain has never left the starting line yet. He's like, this is probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. And I immediately was so thankful that Tony Stewart, one of the greatest drivers that's ever been on this planet, didn't just say, this is the easiest thing I've ever did. I was worried about that. I was worried he was going to say, this is easy, you know, but it gave me so much appreciation that a guy like that was honest and saying that his head wasn't keeping up with how fast these cars are. And I've had a lot of conversations with him since then. I just want to tell people just because you may not like somebody, what you see on tv, that may not be the real person. And that fiery Tony Stewart is there. And back to your question. Yesterday he told me he was pounding on his car. I don't know if that was on tv. I have no idea. He said, you know, it takes him a little while, you know, and again, it's probably an hour later when I saw him and he was so awesome, so awesome, you know, and he's like, you know, if I'm gonna lose to somebody out, I want to, I want to lose to a friend. I don't like losing to people I don't like. He said, but I consider you a friend now. And so that's kind of my Tony story. He is still that fiery guy. I mean, he told me he was pounding on the dash of the car when, when I beat him. But an hour later, you know, the dude's straight up good guy.
- [20:36]
Kenny Wallace
I, yeah, I almost feel like, I almost feel like TV set set him up because it's like, you know, and I mean this with love and respect to, to Tony. They had him winning the race before he left the line, you know, just listening, you know, Tony, you know, and I, I think in my heart of all heart, it kind of shocked that team too. But anyway, listen, what a win. What a win, buddy. Congratulations. Hey, this is Dalenhardt Jr. And for the latest Herman Trader gear, you need to go to shop.dirtymomedia.com We've got plenty of options for everybody and we're adding new stuff all the time, so go to shop.dirtymomedia.com Creativity is at the heart.
- [21:26]
Adobe Creative Cloud
Of everything you do, and Adobe Creative Cloud helps you take your projects to the next level. No matter what you're working on this semester, build pro level skills and create your best work with Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and over 20 other powerful creative apps. Students save over 65% on Adobe Creative Cloud. The go to toolkit for everything from class projects to standout portfolios make your ideas shine in and out of the classroom. Visit adobe.com students to save big today.
- [21:57]
Clay Milliken
Lowe's knows how to help pros save. That's why the new Milo's Pro Rewards program lets you unlock exclusive member deals on the things you need every day on the job. Plus, Milo's Pro Rewards members can get volume discounts on eligible orders through a quote of $2,000 or more. More join for free today. Lowe's we help you save exclusions more Terms and restrictions apply. Programs subject to terms, conditions details@lowe's.com terms subject to change.
- [22:28]
Kenny Wallace
Once again, everybody you're looking at in Clay Milliken, 59 years old, from Drummonds, Tennessee, your 2025 Pomona. I love it. Hey, I want to ask you about that Pomona. I just think that's such a badass name. Pomona.
- [22:45]
Clay Milliken
Yeah.
- [22:45]
Kenny Wallace
But I answer, is that right? Is Pomona not nice or is it nice?
- [22:51]
Clay Milliken
Pomona's okay. I mean, there's nicer facilities. I'm just being honest. The track surface there. So that gets into another thing, Kenny. You go to dirt tracks, where you go, man, this place is a dump. But, boy, the track is really good.
- [23:06]
Kenny Wallace
Yes.
- [23:07]
Clay Milliken
So as a, you know, the dirt's good or whatever, you know. So I judge racetracks by the track surface. And how nice is the facility? The facility is pretty good. We do go to nicer ones, but the track surface there is really good, and you typically see some really fast times there. And there's another thing a lot of people don't realize about Pomona, and I have the track record there still.
- [23:30]
Kenny Wallace
I'll be damned.
- [23:31]
Clay Milliken
It's. It's downhill a little bit. It's downhill a little bit. And I've never done this, but I've had a lot of people tell me that you can get on a bicycle, and if you get yourself five, ten good pedals, when you leave the starting line, you can coast all the way to the end. But it's been there for so long. I think NHRA actually kind of has some rules, you know, plus or minus uphill, downhill. But Pomona has been there for so long, I think it's just like grandfathered in, you know, but it's a pretty neat place. You know, just the setting with the mountains in the background. You know, if you're turned back, looking at the starting line, you see the mountains with a little snow, kind of picturesque. You know, I like it better now than I did Saturday.
- [24:12]
Kenny Wallace
Well, you know, the reason I asked that is because I'm a big, big drag racing fan. You know, I. I love, you know, the Snake. Don Pradome is a dear friend of mine. You know, we. We've interviewed not very many drag racers. You know, Ron Capps, John Force, you and. And I just. I'm a kid at heart, and I just love the word Pomona. Pomona is so badass.
- [24:35]
Clay Milliken
I mean, it's iconic.
- [24:37]
Kenny Wallace
I mean, I'm just honest when I say this. Pomona, to me, is drag racing just the word. I don't care if it's a town or not to me, I guess, you know, in the. In the day, you kind of had English town, you know, I'm like, you know, Dick Trickle from Wisconsin. Rapids, Wisconsin. Just these kids, you know, just badass names. I mean, am I. Am I right? It's just the name Pomona. Is that just. That's drag racing, right?
- [25:01]
Clay Milliken
It's no different than. I mean, we kind of talked about it earlier. You say Pomona, you immediately think drag race. You say, yeah, you know, you say US Nationals, you know, that's Indy. Or you say indy, win the drag racing world. That's a drag race, you know, and you brought up Englishtown. You know, unfortunately, land prices are worth so much money, that place went away. But Englishtown was the fourth major or the crown, Joyle. You know, the summer nationals, that was.
- [25:27]
Kenny Wallace
I got goosebumps, man. That's a bummer. That English town's gone. I knew they were gone, but just, you know, just those names, so. All right, Clay, we got a lot to get to here. So I started to put an end to it, but once again, there he is, your 20, 25 Top Fuel winner, Nationals winner. Congratulations, Clay. What. What a great win, buddy. That is all. Hey, one last thing about Pomona. Does the team get a second trophy? Where's that wally go? Do you order another wally for the team or where does it go?
- [26:03]
Clay Milliken
All right, so that. That's a good question. So the normal standard thing is the driver gets the trophy, but I'mma be honest. I have sent. With the exception of US Nationals, I've sent my trophy to Rick Ware. He is.
- [26:19]
Kenny Wallace
He is.
- [26:19]
Clay Milliken
So eat up with. With motorsports, obviously, but especially drag racing. Yeah, but Rick has bought. Everybody on the team gets a wally. And he's done that for. For all of our race wins. And it's pretty cool, you know, But. But I did keep the original U. S. Nationals trophy, But I did send. I did send the wally home with Stacy, our team manager. You know, Stacy, I think you've got. You've worked with her in the past. And so that wally is now in Mooresville, and I'll be waiting on my duplicate to show up.
- [26:53]
Kenny Wallace
You get. You got two of my crew members. You got Robbie Benton, and you have Stacy, who was with Jay Robinson when I had the US Border Patrol car. And let's talk about Rick Ware in a little bit here. But to me, I think everybody is caught off guard with this Rick. Rick Ware, he's sensational to me. To me, he come out of nowhere. Okay, well, we're going to talk about that in a minute. All right? And I, I do want to say I worked hard on you overnight. I did my studying. You know, you, you are that personality. And, and I said this to you yesterday. And, and once again, I don't want anybody to take this out of context. You are not John Force. There's only one John Force. He is the King. He is Elvis.
- [27:41]
Clay Milliken
He sells.
- [27:42]
Kenny Wallace
But man, you're close to him and you are an exciting person. You give great victory lane interviews. And I've. And I've seen it. You know, people say, you know, Clay Milliken is drag racing now. He. He makes me want to watch. Where, where does this attitude like me, it comes from my mama. You know, they had me on Ritland and I'm. I'm just jacked up, man. Yeah, my mom took me off the Ritling because I got too quiet. Where does this enthusiasm. Does it come from anybody in your family?
- [28:17]
Clay Milliken
I think you probably hit it. You know, Mama probably give me that. That we call it the want to. It come from her. This is a thing from my mama. And, and I share this with people like, how do you do that? How do you become a, you know, a professional race car guy? And she always told people when they asked her, he had to want to. You got to have the want to. If you, if you want to bad enough, you know, you'll figure it out. And I'm going to also say my driving skills, with whatever you want to call them, that I do have them come from my daddy. You know, we spent a lot of time. I live Drummond's, Tennessee. Drummond's 10. Two stores and a cotton gin. I'm not that far from Michigan.
- [29:00]
Kenny Wallace
That's a song.
- [29:00]
Clay Milliken
So we spent a lot of time driving, you know, in the river bottom. I should have been a dirt racer, Kenny, because I spent a lot of time on gravel roads and gumbo. Clay and I spent a lot of time in West Memphis, Arkansas, watching Sammy Swindell growing up.
- [29:16]
Kenny Wallace
West Memphis, Arkansas. Yeah, but, you know, I was going to save this for later, but I want to insert it right here. You know, I did my studying on you early in life. You are a forklift driver for Kroger supermarkets. I mean, you know, we got to tell these stories to give everybody a little bit of faith in their own ability. Tell me about those times, you know, that, you know, before drag racing.
- [29:42]
Clay Milliken
So I grew up again. Daddy took us to every kind of motorsport you can imagine. I mean, I can remember waking up after a long drive. Daddy would, would take us if we'd go to Daytona, you know, it's a 900 mile drive. And we would show up Sunday morning and go to the races. We'd go to Lakeland Dragway, and I'm a zone in on Lakeland Dragway, which is here. It was near Memphis, Tennessee. And I don't know how old I was, but the first time I ever saw two Top Fuel dragsters was there. And as much as I love Daytona and Richard Petty, the first time I saw Top Fuel cars at Lakeland Dragway, I'm like, I don't know how, but I got to do that. It was the most exciting thing that I've ever seen in my life. And I knew somehow, some way I wanted to do that. And I'm a little guy, Kenny, and, and Daddy kind of, you know, he's, he was all about me going drag racing. And, and he took me and I took a. And I thought it was the greatest, fastest car in the world ever, but he took me at 15 years old to Jackson Dragway. We didn't know what we were doing, but we, we drag race. We didn't go dirt racing because he always told me that I was too small and I couldn't fight and there's too much fighting in the dirt racing, so.
- [30:57]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, boy, that's another story right there. Yeah.
- [31:00]
Clay Milliken
And so I, so I ended up, you know, going drag racing at 15, and I loved it. And I thought. And all I thought about was Top Fuel cars and ended up marrying my high school sweetheart. We started dating when I was a freshman in high school. And, you know, I got married right out of high school, got a real job at the Kroger food warehouse, and I was working there, and I was there for 11 years and racing every weekend and barely keeping the job from missing too many days because I was going racing every weekend. And my life story short, I run into this, this young man named Peter Lehman, and he bought into my dream and he bought a Top Fuel team, you know, and here we are, 26 years later, I'm still doing it.
- [31:47]
Kenny Wallace
You know, I'm glad you brought up Peter, because that I thought, okay, then we'll just go right down this road and, you know, there's race cars like, you know, stp, Richard Petty, you know, Rusty, Rusty Wallace was always Miller, Genuine Draft Miller. And Peter, your, your car owner that got you, you give him all the credit in the world, and I think that's wonderful. But you know, one thing that kind of put you on the map besides Peter was that badass Chicago White Sox car. What a great design. Tell me a little bit about that time. And how did that sponsor come about?
- [32:26]
Clay Milliken
So, Route 66 raceway or Chicago land, They're right there on the same property, you know, was opening up. And this all happened really quick. So Peter Lehman was. Was kind of helping me with races and, you know, and. And I'm. I'm talking, you know, pickup truck and gooseneck trailer and sportsman racing, you know, just basically doing all I can. Well, when the racetrack was going to open Route 66 Raceway, Peter Lehman's a Chicago guy, you know, and so his family's, you know, owns the felt, did own the felpro gasket company. And so they had a lot of family connections in the Chicago area. And somehow, some way, I don't know who he knew or what it was, but he's like, we can be the Chicago white sox car at the very first ever, you know, Route 66 raceway event there, right there in Joliet. And so in a matter of a week's time, I got my top fuel license, and we show up at Joliet. We rented a race car and a team, and. And all these things, and I don't have hardly any runs in a top fuel car. And you'll love this, Kenny. So I'm the very first top fuel car to ever pull on the racetrack at Route 66 raceway. Had got my license that week, had quit my job that week. By the way, I'm horrible with dates, but May 10, 1998, I. I got my Top Fuel license. May 10, 1998. Yeah, I quit my job, which was stupid, but anyway, no. So here I am, packed house, brand new racetrack, Chicago white Sox in Chicago, and I do myself a burnout in this top fuel car. And when I stop from the burnout, thinking I know everything and I know nothing, I think this thing's idling too fast, and these cars got a toe loop. So other words, when you put your foot on the gas pedal, you got a loop around your shoe so you can pull the throttle back. It's for emergency. Well, I might only weigh 140 pounds, but when I thought that thing was idling too fast, I start pulling back on that tow loop. And where the throttle cable attaches to the throttle, I flipped it under, which made it have throttle going backwards. So I do me a forward burnout, and I do a little baby burnout going backwards. But thank goodness, it broke reverse, because that would have been really bad. So that was my big debut. All I was thinking was, I'm ready to go back to Drummond's, Tennessee, and I'll give me my job back. You know, I don't ever want to be heard or seen from again. Maybe I can get my job back at Kroger. But kind of like my Mike Helton story, I got called to the trailer by a guy named Buster Couch. And he was. He was kind of the Mike Hilton of nhra. He run the starting line with an iron fist. And I had to go to the tower and see Buster. And he said, he's a Southern boy, kind of like me and you. And he's like, boy, oh yeah, he's a tough old man, you know, and he's like, I don't know where you come from, but you do that on my racetrack one more time, you'll. You'll never be back on one again. I said, yes, sir. Which made me want to go back to Drummond's even more.
- [35:39]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [35:40]
Clay Milliken
Long story short, I ended up making a 4 second quarter mile run that weekend. I did not qualify for the event, but, man, I was absolutely hooked. My childhood dream of driving one of those things had come true. And I never, ever thought that I would be out there racing with the likes of John Force and Kenny Bernstein and you name it, they were all there in 1998, and I was a little part of it.
- [36:08]
Kenny Wallace
So, so awesome. Hey, fun loving. What is it about the south when they want to chew your ass out? They go, boy. I mean, all they got to do is, you know, anybody else can say, boy, it sounds like a rapper, hey, boy. But when the Southerners go, boy, it's like, oh, you know, I have been.
- [36:27]
Clay Milliken
Stopped on the side of the road. It's been a long time. But in Tennessee, the highway patrolman wear big hats and they walk up. Put that window down, boy. Yes, sir.
- [36:38]
Kenny Wallace
That's it. Oh, my God. You. You got me so zoned in on that that I almost forgot where we were at. But okay, so let's celebrate your career. So this is really working really well. We are pretty much in chronological order after we celebrated Pomona. So you go on and you run International Hot Rod Association. And it seems like every drag racer, I mean, even John Force, I mean, it is just full of IHRA. You won six championships, 52 wins between 2000, 2006. So you figured something out now was, was all those wins and championships, was that, was that with Peter.
- [37:22]
Clay Milliken
So five, just. Let's call it five and a half of those were with Peter Lehman.
- [37:27]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [37:28]
Clay Milliken
And, you know, he. He put together an amazing package with Werner Enterprises. A lot of People know me for that car. We just talk about Rusty and. And Miller and STP and Richard Petty. Werner Enterprises was on our car, one of the largest trucking companies in the nation. And, man, they. They signed on and. And it. I feel like I'm bragging, but, brother, we kick butt in the ihra. You know, it was. It was amazing. The rules, the cars were basically the same, but the rules were a little more restrictive in the ihra. And what we did was pretty unthinkable. I mean, we even. I don't even. Again, I'm bad with stats, but we even had a year where we went to every single final round.
- [38:11]
Kenny Wallace
I read that. I read that.
- [38:14]
Clay Milliken
You know, it was like if we didn't win, something was wrong, you know, And I had raced again. I'm 30 something years old by the time that happened, and I had raced non stop, but I knew we were doing something that was special. And, man, it was an incredible wave. But. And I don't want to get us out of chronological order, but at the same time we were doing the IHRA series, we would tip, which was IHRA usually was 10 to 12 races a year. And with our Werner sponsorship, we were pretty well funded to do those kind of races. And Kenny, you know, as a racer, your car runs better when you have parts and you got money to go to the racetrack with. You know, that's just part of the deal. But we would do like 10 NHRA races and we would do good. I mean, we even had one year we were kicking butt in the ihra and we. We went to three consecutive NHRA final rounds while that was going on. But I just couldn't win an NHRA race. And I now know one. I don't want to get you out of your order, and I'll tell that. I'll tell that story.
- [39:19]
Kenny Wallace
I got my notes. I got my notes.
- [39:21]
Clay Milliken
Yeah, when we get there. But for. For all the winning we were doing in ihra, I just could not. I couldn't win an NHRA race.
- [39:30]
Kenny Wallace
Well, that's life. And that is like the great Mark Martin, who is in the NASCAR hall of Fame but never won a championship. And we're going through that with Denny Hamlin right now. Sometimes things aren't meant to be. And I got to be 60 years old, and I thought to myself, oh, my God, I wonder if I'll win a dirt race when I'm 60. And last year I went to Volusia. You know, 100 cars I win, I keep the hat. And on the hat, I write first win at 60 years old. So, yeah, basically that. That NHRA win was waiting for you.
- [40:06]
Clay Milliken
And hey, I gotta tell you something real quick though. You mentioned Martin. Martin. I'm a huge fan.
- [40:13]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [40:14]
Clay Milliken
And I saw Mark posted a congratulations and it meant so much to me. I screenshotted it and sent it to my wife and sisters with an arrow pointed that Mark Martin said congratulations.
- [40:26]
Kenny Wallace
He's a badass. He, you know, you know everybody there. There's not very many race car drivers in whatever discipline it is. I don't know what it is in nhra, but in nascar, Mark Martin hasn't raced in years. But it's like that old commercial. The kids won't remember it, but when E.F. hutton talks, everybody listens. Everybody respects Mark Martin so much that, I mean, he was on Dirty Mo Media just the other day and he gave his opinion on the Xfinity race and I mean, the world stopped. He, he's just, he's such a good race car driver, does everything right. So, yeah, you're, you're, you're in the right direction. I mean, Mark, Mark is to be revered because he won a lot and he was good at it.
- [41:17]
Adobe Creative Cloud
Creativity is at the heart of everything you do. And Adobe Creative Cloud helps you take your projects to the next level. No matter what you're working on this semester. Build pro level skills and create your best work with Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and over 20 other powerful creative apps. Students save over 65% on Adobe Creative Cloud. The go to toolkit for everything from class projects to standout portfolios. Make your ideas shine in and out of the classroom. Visit adobe.com students to save big today at Ameca Insurance.
- [41:50]
Amica Insurance
We know it's more than just a car. It's the two door coupe that was there for your first drive, the hatchback that took you cross country and back, and the minivan that tackles the weekly car pool for the cars you couldn't live without. Trust Amica Auto insurance Amathy is our best policy.
- [42:19]
Kenny Wallace
Okay, I pick up on little things and Kenny conversation is just that. It kind of. It can go everywhere. You know, we can, we can pause for a minute. You know, it's the little things you know, best career, elapsed time. You know, all baseball players, they know their batting averages, their stats. So I'm going to say this and you tell me if I'm wrong, but I just think it's fun. It's maybe nothing to you guys, but for the casual fan, you know, when I check you out, it says 3.628 at 338.26 miles per hour. Is that old or is that accurate?
- [42:59]
Clay Milliken
That's accurate.
- [43:01]
Kenny Wallace
Tell me about that run.
- [43:03]
Clay Milliken
So I mentioned earlier that I got the track record at Pomona. So that 3.628 was at Pomona and it's now the second quickest run in history. Brittany force took that record from me by 3,000ths of a second. Not that I'm keeping up with that, but.
- [43:21]
Kenny Wallace
And as your eyes blinking, it'll bother me at all.
- [43:24]
Clay Milliken
Yeah, yeah. And so on that particular run. So we race a thousand feet now. Years ago, we went from quarter mile to th.000ft because of tracks like Pomona where we don't have enough room, slow down. And that I know you mention all the time sometimes about the commenters. And these ain't the good old days, you know, back in the good old.
- [43:44]
Kenny Wallace
Days, you know, Exhausting.
- [43:46]
Clay Milliken
Yes. So, you know, everybody talks about, ah, you should be quarter mile racing. Well, no, we shouldn't because the cars go so fast and there's places we can't stop.
- [43:54]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [43:55]
Clay Milliken
Back to that 362 with an 8. So I actually shut that off at 920ft. I didn't even go full. Oh, Brittany took my record by 3,000. And it's my fault.
- [44:07]
Kenny Wallace
She probably stayed on the gas, you.
- [44:09]
Clay Milliken
Know, I should have stayed on the gas. Exactly. Well, and another thing that I want people to know, Kenny, because I know there's so many NASCAR people. That 338mile an hour run was not as quick as that 3.6 to 8 run. I made that 338 mile an hour run in Sonoma, California, but not as good at E.T.
- [44:28]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, that's something. Explain that to me. What is that?
- [44:33]
Clay Milliken
So mile an hour is measured in the last 66 foot of the racetrack, so your car can leave and accelerate really, really, really good. I'm gonna use that 3.62 run for an example. In the 362 run, I just told you, I shut it off at 920ft. But let's just say I'm on that run and I keep it on the floor, but it drops some cylinders. It's not running on eight cylinders no more. So the acceleration was going. But the last 66ft is kind of laid over, so to speak. So you're only measuring that mile an hour in that last 66ft. So the car can actually be like on a little bit of a detail, even though we're still talking 330 miles an hour. Whatever.
- [45:19]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, as. As Kenny Schrader would say, duh, big red truck. I didn't. I didn't know that they measured miles per hour. The last. At the very end.
- [45:28]
Clay Milliken
Yep.
- [45:29]
Kenny Wallace
Okay, Exciting. Now, let's go to last year. To me, you know, I live in St. Louis. You know, we're not four hours up the road to Indy. Well, we are. I'm sorry. We're five hours. But. But anyway, the US Nationals. This was. This. Rick racing's very first win. What was it? No, okay. What was. What was Rick Ware racing's first win with you?
- [45:56]
Clay Milliken
So here. Here's a pretty good one. So we. This was year before last. We were. Let's just face it. We sucked early in the year. We were struggling to qualify. We were struggling, struggling, struggling back to good old Route 66 raceway. We were just talking about. Yeah, we had. We barely qualified. I don't even remember where it was. 14, 15, whatever. We barely qualified. Well, what do we do? We go out there and win the fricking race. So that was Rick's first win, Route 66 Raceway. And we not only won there, then we go to Denver, the mile high nationals. Hard place to race. And we won there. So now Rick's got two wins. Then we come into your hometown, St. Louis as can be. And we won that one, too. So we won three races year before last.
- [46:49]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. And you're. Y'all are relatively new. I mean, so you're. Yeah. Rick Ware racing is kind of shocking everybody. It's like, hey, let me ask you that. How do you think. I mean, to me, it sometimes would take a team to get up and going for a while. Why do you think this team is? I think you've all excelled fast. I mean, I know a year is a long time. Is it. Is it just your combination? Who do you give a lot of credit to?
- [47:18]
Clay Milliken
I. Man, it's people. It is 100% people. So we're going to back up a little bit. You probably know the name Doug Stringer. So I drove.
- [47:28]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, yeah, yeah.
- [47:29]
Clay Milliken
Illinois guy, you know, he's not. Not far up the road from you. And he had the team, and Rick and him made a deal, and Rick bought the team from Doug Stringer.
- [47:40]
Kenny Wallace
I'll be damn.
- [47:41]
Clay Milliken
And we kept a nucleus of people, and I call them my kids. We still got a few of them on the team. So we had a little nucleus, and we had Jimmo, our crew chief. And that group came from Doug to Rick. And so a lot of it was together. And what Rick did was basically upped our inventory of parts and pieces and cars and, you know, so we took the group we had that was a, an amazing group, but Rick, just up that level of what our, our catalog, what our toolbox looked like. Let's just put it like that. Our toolbox got better. You know, we went from tools from Taiwan to tools made right here in the usa. And I'm not knocking Doug at all. I just don't know how to.
- [48:26]
Kenny Wallace
No, I get, I get it. It's like somebody. They buy a racetrack and then they upgrade it and make it better. Doug Stringer, didn't he. He was the guy that got the. He had an Xfinity team with Jason Leffler, wasn't it? Yeah. Was it Sports clips.
- [48:42]
Clay Milliken
Great clips.
- [48:43]
Kenny Wallace
Great, great clips. Too many of those names.
- [48:45]
Clay Milliken
It's on that. It's on that car right there.
- [48:47]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [48:48]
Clay Milliken
On that car right there.
- [48:49]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. He, he.
- [48:50]
Clay Milliken
Doug's awesome. We talked still non stop. He's a great guy.
- [48:54]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, he had the. I think I got his phone number still, for some reason.
- [48:57]
Clay Milliken
Casey Kane as well.
- [48:59]
Kenny Wallace
Yes. Yes. What's he doing now? Doug.
- [49:03]
Clay Milliken
He's hanging out. He's.
- [49:05]
Kenny Wallace
He.
- [49:05]
Clay Milliken
He does a lot of stuff with Todd Brown, which is just Haley's uncle.
- [49:10]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. Wow. I'll be darn. You're really close to the NASCAR world and don't even know you got some of my employees and, and owners, and that's awesome. Okay, so we're at the U.S. nationals and you won the 2024 U.S. nationals in Indy. You know, the biggest win of any drag racer's life. You win it. But where I want to go with this is you qualify 13th. You know, in the drag racing world, I, I guess you just. It's like nascar. You make a bad qualifying run, then you work on the chassis. So I guess, explain to me how you overcome qualifying so bad to win it all. What kind of adjustments did your team make?
- [49:56]
Clay Milliken
Well, I mean, obviously, you know, what let us nationals in. In particular, we get five qualifying runs. Typically you only get four. Well, obviously with five qualifying runs, Jim O. Just hadn't. Hadn't found the setup. And we don't have chassis adjustments. Kenny, A dragster is solid. You know, the only, only suspension is the rear tires, basically, and we can make wing adjustments, stuff like that. But. But he just couldn't quite find the setup that, that the track wanted. And so we qualify 13th and man, we go in there and who do we get first round? Antron Brown, one of the baddest dudes. He's the reigning champion. We got him first round. And Jimmo found the magic and threw down. He threw down. And luckily, I just didn't screw nothing up in the wind light. Come on. But. But, Kenny, I got to back up a little bit. So Friday night, which Friday night, qualifying is amazing at a drag race because of the. The nitro header flames and all this stuff going on. Well, we. Rick had put a deal together with Arby's. It's a big deal having Arby's on your race car. I watch.
- [51:08]
Kenny Wallace
I watched the highlights. It was good. You talked about it in Victoria. Shirt crew shirts were awesome.
- [51:14]
Clay Milliken
Looks so good. Well, we've got our Arby's guy. His first ever drag race. He's on the starting line Friday night. He's right up on the starting line, Kenny. I leave the starting line, I'm going down that racetrack, and I feel this baby ease up. I'm like, it ain't happy. And you know what they say. You can only make first impression once. And against all my better judgment, I knew this thing was hurt. I drove her right to the finish line and blowed it up. But I made a good impression on. On our RV Sky.
- [51:49]
Kenny Wallace
That reminds me of John Force. He said, they was broke. They blowed up. And he asked his partner in Victor Lane, he says, what are we going to do now? And his partner said, john, you better give one hell of an interview, you know? Yeah, whatever it takes.
- [52:03]
Clay Milliken
But I thought that might be, you know, my one opportunity to impress the guy, you know, and dang, if we didn't mess around and win that thing on Monday so I didn't have to blow it up on Friday night, you know, I told Rick and Jimmo and my crew chief, other crew chief, Nikki Bonifan. I'm like, man, I'm sorry, y'all. I knew it wasn't happy, but I knew that guy was on the starting line, and we needed to make that impression. But holy crap, you know, we made a good one by winning the biggest race areas.
- [52:32]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. And you got a great sponsor right now. Parts plus. But let's go back to Arby's, you and I. People. People will say to me, kenny Wallace, you only have nine NASCAR Xfinity wins, but you. Well. But they'll say, you stayed in the sport for 905 races. How did you do that? And I said, I can run my mouth and go get the money. You know, that's the way I stayed. My longevity is my mouth. Sell product, get the. Get the money and go racing. So you get Arby's, and, boy, it looks Good. And you win the biggest damn race there is. So what happens to Arby's?
- [53:16]
Clay Milliken
Well, they were on Cody Ware's race car this past week. They were on the car. They're going to be on the car, I think 12 times this year. Your car on Cody wears. Rick wears nascar.
- [53:29]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, gotcha. Okay. They're still around.
- [53:31]
Clay Milliken
Still around. And you will see them on my car multiple times this year, too. So that first impression and that winning U.S. nationals, it worked. Paid off.
- [53:41]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, man, that's. That's exciting. And, yeah, to me, you know, I mean, everybody jokes about it and they're like, oh, he win because he got money. I'm like, you eat food because you got money. I mean, that is life. So, yes, that's an old argument, but so you win the U.S. nationals. And to me, before we move on, every. Every race has kind of got that little signature. You know, what stands out to you? You know, not. Not a year later, but what after that, US Nationals, the biggest win of your life. What stands out?
- [54:18]
Clay Milliken
Man, you know, your. Your title changes now you're a champ. Yeah, your title changes. It's, you know, it's. It's not, you know, top field driver Clay milliken anymore. It's U.S. nationals winner. It's just, I guess, you know, back to the NASCAR comparison, you know, it's Daytona 500 winner.
- [54:40]
Kenny Wallace
Yes.
- [54:41]
Clay Milliken
You know, they don't say. Always say, you know, NASCAR champion, NHRA champion. It's weird. It's that one race you get titled that. And you know what, Kenny? I've been called way worse. I'm okay with being U.S. nationals winner.
- [54:55]
Kenny Wallace
It's funny because, you know, Kyle Petty and myself, we did a lot of TV together, and, you know, obviously Kyle's dad, Richard won, you know, what, seven Daytona five hundreds. And. And Kyle said that, you know, when you win. And I'm just going to say whether it's U.S. nationals, but, you know, when you win the Daytona 500, Kyle says they call you champion. It's our only race where you're the Daytona 500 champion. And so I can relate. You know, one thing, I like that you said after you won the U. S. Nationals and I wrote this down. You said it was a lifetime of work. And. And I guess that's well said, right, Clay? Because winning the US Nationals is a. If you're a drag racer, that. Is that your dream?
- [55:38]
Clay Milliken
You know, it really is, but we kind of touched on it a little bit. You know, that should be the biggest race win of my life. And it's Not.
- [55:50]
Kenny Wallace
I understand.
- [55:53]
Clay Milliken
Do I cherish it? Does it mean so much? Of course it does. But I don't know what I looked at. You know, I don't know where we're at on questioning, but for me, with what we've been through, my biggest win, and I said this many times, that my biggest win was Bristol, you know, that. That, you know, just emotionally, family wise, everything that we've been through, which we hadn't talked about it and we can. And. But nothing will ever top that.
- [56:25]
Kenny Wallace
Let me. Okay, let me ask you. I. I know all about it. And there's some things, you know, you brought it up.
- [56:33]
Clay Milliken
Yeah.
- [56:33]
Kenny Wallace
You lost. You lost your son, and that's why I told you I loved you about 15 minutes ago. You know, when I was a crew chief on the Levi Garrett car years ago, driver Joe Rutman. Joe Rutman always had his dad at all the USAC races. When we would go to Milwaukee, when we would go to Milwaukee, my brother Rusty Wallace would race Joe and his dad was always with him. And then Joe's dad passed away, and immediately he sets. He puts it on the pole at Dover for the cup race.
- [57:12]
Clay Milliken
Yep.
- [57:13]
Kenny Wallace
I want to let you know I'm sorry about your son. Go ahead and speak to that in your win at Bristol.
- [57:21]
Clay Milliken
Yep. So I also mentioned earlier that, you know, we had success. IHRA were winning everything and we. We go to a bunch of finals. Kenny, you got 905 starts. That's a record, right?
- [57:38]
Kenny Wallace
It's just. It's good.
- [57:40]
Clay Milliken
Yes, it's good.
- [57:43]
Kenny Wallace
It's in the top 20.
- [57:44]
Clay Milliken
Yes. So I have a record for most race starts without a win. You know, that may be something you don't really want, but after losing my son, you know, it was. It told me why I couldn't win an NHRA race. So I took 19 years and I think it's 254 race starts, the most ever in top Fuel without a win, you know, and so Bristol does an amazing job with their. Everything they do. You know, that place is amazing. Well, it's on Father's day weekend. Well, we had lost Dalton a couple years prior to. A year prior to that, two years prior to that. And every year they bring the fathers out and they put them in a truck and they go down and they wave to the crowd. I'm like, I gotta drive a 300 mile an hour race car today. I don't want to think about Father's Day. I just want to get in my race car and race. And I never duck out. Kenny, if the Racetrack needs somebody doing something. I'm all for it.
- [58:57]
Kenny Wallace
I love the fans.
- [58:58]
Clay Milliken
Love the fans. I ducked out. I didn't participate. You know, I did driver intro. I'm out of there, right? And. And it's a, A full race day story that we won't get to. But so I made it to the final round and I had a calm about me. I'm a back up one little bit. We're going up for the semifinal round and I'm in our tow vehicle and I'm trying to, like, keep this race day, only it's not a Father's Day thing. It's a race day. You know, you're getting texts and phone calls. They're all good. You know, it's people, they mean well, you know, happy Father's Day. Well, I didn't want to see that. I didn't want to see it. I don't want to think about it. But I get a knock on the window. I'm in the tow vehicle, and it's. It's a elderly man and, and he's got a little motocross chest protector. You know, like the kids wearing motocross. Well, my son Dalton was a national champion motocross racer. And he sticks this thing in the window and I pull a Sharpie out. I assume he just wants me to sign it. I didn't know why. And he said, no, that's for you. And I kind of look at him and he said, look at it. Dalton signed that. He said that was his first ever autograph that he signed.
- [60:23]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, my gosh.
- [60:24]
Clay Milliken
And again, I'm going up for the semifinals to race Steve Torrance, multi time world champion. And I'm holding this little motocross chest protector that's got my kid's signature on it. I didn't know whether to. To cry. Punch this guy. I didn't know what to feel, you know, but I got the lump in the throat, the eyes are watering, you know, and. And I look at the guy and I'm like, thank you. This is really cool. You know, and he's like. I said, I don't know what to say, but thank you. So I put this little motocross chest protector right by my helmet. And when I get up there, Steve Torrance is already in the car. I kind of made a slate getting there, Kenny, because, you know, we, we talk, you know, but I'm trying to hold back the tears, you know, all these things, all these emotions, you know, that I had done my. Dang this all day to not let enter, you know me, I go up there, Steve's already in the car and. And I go fist bump him, dude. It didn't matter what we did the rest of the day. It was my day. Yes, it was my day. You know, and that was my little boy telling me that. Father's day still okay.
- [61:40]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [61:41]
Clay Milliken
19 years, 250, some races. I didn't do a good job driving. I didn't do nothing special. And I won on Father's Day in my home state and that was my Father's Day present.
- [61:57]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, that's a beautiful story. That's a beautiful story. My brother Mike, you know, lost, you know, my brother Mike lost his two year old boy.
- [62:07]
Clay Milliken
Mike and I hug every time we see each other because we're part of a club no parents should be a part of.
- [62:14]
Kenny Wallace
Right?
- [62:14]
Clay Milliken
And me and Mike have a bond over that.
- [62:17]
Adobe Creative Cloud
Creativity is at the heart of everything you do, and Adobe Creative Cloud helps you take your projects to the next level. No matter what you're working on this semester. Build pro level skills and create your best work with Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and over 20 other powerful creative apps. Students save over 65% on Adobe Creative Cloud. The go to toolkit for everything from class projects to standout portfolios. Make your ideas shine in and out of the classroom. Visit adobe.com students to save big today.
- [62:48]
Amica Insurance
At Ameca Insurance, we know it's more than just a car. It's the two door coupe that was there for your first drive, the hatchback that took you cross country and back, and the minivan that tackles the weekly car pool for the cars you couldn't live without. Trust Amica Auto Insurance. Amathy is our best policy.
- [63:19]
Kenny Wallace
You know, I'm speechless. I gotta be honest. What a story. And that calming effect. These are things, I guess, you know, every once in a while you hear, I, I was in the zone or I forgot who I was talking to here lately. I did a, I did a Kenny conversation and, and somebody had success and oh, they said it was like they were in a Matrix. But like, it, it was happening and afterwards they're like, what just happened? And they'd won it all. Do you felt like you was in the Matrix after that man came up and talked to you?
- [63:53]
Clay Milliken
Yep.
- [63:54]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, it just happened.
- [63:55]
Clay Milliken
It just happened. Like, it just, it just happened. Here's a line from my mama. When the snow's supposed to fall off the tree, it falls off the tree.
- [64:07]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [64:08]
Clay Milliken
Yeah, it was supposed to happen that day. Like all those, all those heartbreaks, I can't win. I can't win, you know, and you. You hear it from the people. All, you can win on the IHRA side, but you come over here, you can't do it. It was supposed to be that way, Kenny. It was supposed. That's the way it was supposed to be, you know, and you kind of mentioned, you know, little signs or whatever. I was kind of scrolling my phone because I gotta. I gotta find this. I know. You know, a lot of people will be listening to this. So I'm getting ready to race Tony Stewart in the final round.
- [64:46]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [64:47]
Clay Milliken
And I'm fixing to put my helmet on. I'm in the back seat of our tow vehicle. I grabbed my phone and I look at it. You know how many text my son's motocross number was? 25. Number 25 means a whole lot to us. This was the number of text messages I had on my phone.
- [65:07]
Kenny Wallace
Look at that. You snapshot of that, didn't you?
- [65:09]
Clay Milliken
Yes.
- [65:11]
Kenny Wallace
That's great.
- [65:12]
Clay Milliken
And so when I'm putting my helmet on, I'm like, all right, you little.
- [65:15]
Kenny Wallace
Turd, you're with me.
- [65:17]
Clay Milliken
Let's do this. We're racing Tony Stewart smoke.
- [65:23]
Kenny Wallace
That's awesome. That is. That is. Takes my breath away. It really does. Clay, what a damn store thing. Thank you so much for sharing that. Yeah, it makes me want to pause a little bit, and it really does. Well, okay, buddy.
- [65:38]
Clay Milliken
I mean, nobody should have to do that, go through that, Kenny. But, yeah, and your brother Mike can tell you this. When you want to talk about it, it's good. It's like when you don't want to talk about it, you know, and I. Sometimes I ball when I talk about it, sometimes I don't. But, yeah, you know, it's partly because of that text message. I knew I got a little message that we were going to have a good final round, and makes me. Made me want to talk about him today, here with you and everybody listening.
- [66:09]
Kenny Wallace
And I'm glad you did because you talked about Bristol being your big win, and I know the US Nationals, but, you know, with timing, Bill Elliott would tell me this. Herman, life's all about timing and circumstances. And, you know, people can say all they want to about Tony Stewart, but you all have bragged on him. Everybody in drag racing has bragged that Tony's broad eyes, he's a fierce competitor. He's known as a bad boy, you know, and, you know, the timing and circumstances for. To be on, you know, on. On FS1 big TV, you out running, you know, he. He knows. He's. He's a bad boy. So congratulations. And that, you know, it was a big. I wouldn't be talking to you right now when you won. I'm like, oh, Clay, Benny Parsons. Yeah, it's, it's, it's the brutal truth. It's just God awful. But you and I are competitors, and it is sad to say, but, you know, oh, he won. Hey, can I get him on my podcast? It's horrible. It's horrible. Okay, let's end, let's end on, on a good note. We, we like to keep these things around an hour, and we're already over an hour, but let's end with a lot of fun. Something that you do that totally impresses me, and I think this is a very light note. Charlie Marlow is my YouTube manager. He's my friend. He called me three years ago and he said, herman, let me start you a YouTube show. And I said, Charlie, I moved back to St. Louis. I don't want nothing to do with that stuff. I'm going to run my dirt car. I'm going to watch the Cardinals, the Blues. I moved back to St. Louis to just have an easier life. Okay? So he calls me and I said, okay. And he says, just give me that stuff you do on the couch. Coffee with Kenny. And I'm like, charlie, I don't know how to do any of that stuff. So I tell this story because I want everybody to know it is very, very difficult to edit everything up and get that stuff on YouTube. And for everybody that's wanting to know where I'm going to go with this story, the man you're looking at or you're listening to on Dirty Mo right now, Clay Milliken does it all himself. Where in the world did you learn this gift that my YouTube manager does? How did you learn to do your own YouTube channel?
- [68:43]
Clay Milliken
Well, I'm, I'm gonna throw it on you here, Kenny. Just like you dirt people do. Kenny got that NASCAR money and he's got Charlie Marlowe doing his.
- [68:53]
Kenny Wallace
That's it.
- [68:53]
Clay Milliken
That's it.
- [68:54]
Kenny Wallace
I, I admit it. I admit. I, I'm, my brain's going every which way. People say, when I, at one time I did own an airplane and they said, how come you're not a pilot? I said, oh, no. I just. Nope. I, I, I just, I, I mess it up.
- [69:10]
Clay Milliken
I'm with you.
- [69:11]
Kenny Wallace
Yep.
- [69:12]
Clay Milliken
So, Kenny, I, I don't know. I did not mean to become a YouTuber, but I gotta be honest. I have a blast doing it. And I really, it happened by accident, you know? It happened during COVID I was just bored.
- [69:27]
Kenny Wallace
That's how I did Coffee with Kenny. I blamed it on Covid.
- [69:30]
Clay Milliken
Oh, I was bored, man. And, and I beg you people, don't go back and watch my early videos. They're horrible.
- [69:38]
Kenny Wallace
I love this.
- [69:39]
Clay Milliken
Oh, it's like home movies, you know, they're terrible. But it's, it's become something that I really enjoy. I love interacting with fans and it's gave me a platform to, to do that. And, and I even love the bad comments. I, I, I tell you what, you.
- [69:57]
Kenny Wallace
Know, I make shows out of it. When they talk bad about me, I'm like, that's a show.
- [70:02]
Clay Milliken
Yes, exactly. You know, it, I had it. I, I don't know what it is, but, but it's actually turned into Good for Rick Ray Racing. The amount of views we get, you know, we share that with our sponsors and yes, and the truth is we have added, you know, some big time sponsors because of the YouTube channel. I mean, it's, it's just unbelievable to think that. And I have met some of the coolest people and I know you're doing it, but one of the things that I've got to do because of my YouTube channel was I did my first ever circle race at the Cletus McFarlane 2.4 hours of Les Mullets.
- [70:40]
Kenny Wallace
You did.
- [70:41]
Clay Milliken
You know, so the YouTube has brought me a lot of new friends and it certainly, you know, has brought in fans from other places that, that tell me that they have come to their first ever drag race because they found my YouTube channel. You know, I love it. I really, really do. You know, I mean, sometimes it's like, oh, like I told you, I got home at 2:30 in the morning and I stayed up because I had to export and upload my video because I was already a day late getting it out there. And people were hammering me because I did, I didn't have it out there, but I ain't got that NASCAR money and have Charlie Marlowe editing it for me, you know. Well, you know, let me say one more thing, Kenny.
- [71:24]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [71:24]
Clay Milliken
Rick Ware has people that do this sort of thing and I like doing it myself. And I know people, you know, they know that's you when you do coffee with Kenny.
- [71:37]
Kenny Wallace
There I am.
- [71:38]
Clay Milliken
Your hair's messed up, you know, you got your robe on sometimes, you know.
- [71:42]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
- [71:43]
Clay Milliken
And I love that they know it's you. And then people that, that follow my social media, they can tell it ain't no AI talking. They know it's me. You know, and so Rick's got people that can do that, but I want to do it myself and I want to share what we're doing. And sometimes I probably. Robbie Benton gets on to me. Every now and then we talk about Robbie Benton and Rick Ware. Yeah, you know, he. He's like, you might be showing a little too much there. So I have changed some of the things I do. You know, I used to film up in the lounge with the crew chiefs all the time and. And I quit doing that. And I hate that I quit doing it. But some we found out that people might have been looking at the mirror and reflecting back at what Jimmo and Nikki had on the computer screens, you know, so I quit doing that. But I love YouTube.
- [72:31]
Kenny Wallace
And social media does create like another group of fans. Like everybody I meet right now, the first thing they say to me, I mean, one, not 90%, I'm talking one, I just got back from a seven day cruise, 20, 30 people. Hell, they just made a big post on it on Facebook with my group.
- [72:54]
Clay Milliken
Yep.
- [72:54]
Kenny Wallace
But everybody, they come in, the first thing that says, man, I. They don't know what to say. They don't know what to call it. You. I like your YouTube. I like your podcast, but that. It's like a family, isn't it?
- [73:04]
Clay Milliken
It is.
- [73:05]
Kenny Wallace
They follow along. It's like a little documentary.
- [73:07]
Clay Milliken
It really is. I mean, I. I have it every weekend. You know, I'm here because of the YouTube. I saw you on this channel, I saw you on that channel, and I know you got your play button right there behind you.
- [73:19]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, yeah.
- [73:20]
Clay Milliken
How happy were you to get that? Dude, I was jacked up about it.
- [73:24]
Kenny Wallace
It was like winning a race because we were like 25, 000 subscribers. And you know, and this is a time I'm sure you feel the same way. Clay, I want to thank all the fans out there. And Clay, I know you do too. Thank you so much for liking and subscribing because, Clay, I'm not going to speak for you, but I want to, since you brought it up, the play button. So when I race a car, I finished first, second, third, fourth, fifth, so on, so forth. You know, you qualify 10th, you get knocked out. Whatever it is, that play button means you won because they deem 100,000 subscribers. Like that's big in. In YouTube. It's very hard to get to because number one, you got to monetize that. YouTube has to accept you first.
- [74:11]
Clay Milliken
Yep.
- [74:12]
Kenny Wallace
They got to go. Okay, you've monetized. Means you qualified. Oh, I Qualified. Yes.
- [74:18]
Clay Milliken
Yes. I made the field.
- [74:20]
Kenny Wallace
I made the field. So that's why when you get over 100,000. But I. I mean, we were at 25, and I was laser obsessed. I'm like, we're going to get that damn neat little plastic trophy. Where's yours at?
- [74:36]
Clay Milliken
Mine is with my bristol trophy. Right down the hallway. Yes, it's with my Bristol and U.S. nationals trophy. That's the truth. I mean, Donna was afraid that when it showed up that it was going between us in the bed. You know, it might have. The first night or two, I. I was proud to get it. I did a whole YouTube video about it. Kenny. I took it to the race with me and nhra. Let me put it right behind my car. And you could see my car are leaving.
- [75:06]
Kenny Wallace
We did the burnout.
- [75:07]
Clay Milliken
Yes. Yes.
- [75:09]
Kenny Wallace
So good.
- [75:10]
Clay Milliken
It's exciting. It's a big deal to. It was to me, and obviously it was to you, too.
- [75:15]
Kenny Wallace
It. Well, it's. And I'm just going to go down that road that maybe you wouldn't. It is competition still.
- [75:20]
Clay Milliken
Yeah.
- [75:21]
Kenny Wallace
I'm gonna get a hundred thousand subscribers. Damn it.
- [75:24]
Clay Milliken
Yeah.
- [75:24]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. And when I do, that's my checkered flag. So. Okay. And here we are. This is the end, everybody. And we know that John Force. John Force has my hot rod. Well, the old hot rod ran real good. And then brother Rusty Copper copied it. Hot rod. And you. I. I looked at your souvenirs. You got great shirts. And you always say, stomp on that loud pedal. There it is. There it is. I love it. Where did stomp on that loud pedal come from?
- [75:55]
Clay Milliken
So that came from my son, Dalton. So I mentioned earlier that Dalton was a motocross rider, won the national championship in 2011. Well, once we decided that. That it's time for him to let himself pay some bills instead of me and Donna, you know, it's like, all right, what's next? Well, Dalton ended up trying out, and he drove a monster truck. He drove in Monster Jam. He drove the blue thunder monster truck. Got to travel the world, and you can find this little video on the YouTube. It's a little interview with Dalton, and they would play these in shows and arenas. You know, they put the driver up, and they do this little highlight video, and he said, I'm gonna go out there and entertain that crowd, and I'm a stomp on that loud pedal. So that's where it comes from.
- [76:44]
Kenny Wallace
Yes.
- [76:45]
Clay Milliken
And in the monster trucks, they stomp on that loud pedal a lot. You know?
- [76:49]
Kenny Wallace
They do.
- [76:50]
Clay Milliken
They do.
- [76:50]
Kenny Wallace
They're loud well, everybody.
- [76:52]
Clay Milliken
I got that from him.
- [76:54]
Kenny Wallace
I love it. It makes you very. It makes me happy. Well, there he is. My likeness. We both are the same. We were both on Ritland.
- [77:04]
Clay Milliken
I gotta tell one story.
- [77:06]
Kenny Wallace
I gotta tell my story.
- [77:07]
Clay Milliken
I know, I know. I'm making us run along. No, and this is an honest story. My sisters will tell you this when I. I don't remember this, but I was told by my older sister, Tracy. I got two sisters. One to Tracy and Lee. But Tracy and has said this a million times when. When everybody talk about. Manny won't ever shut up. You know, he won't quit talking. My mama would have to go get the neighbor to watch me so she could take a bath.
- [77:34]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, I got those. I got those stories, too. We would. We would leave Arnold, Missouri, and we'd go to Rollup, Missouri, about 75, 80 miles down the road, and there was this lady named Sue Sifford. So I. I was. You know, Rusty's seven years older than me. My brother Mike's four. I'm the youngest, so I was always with my mom. And we would ride in the passenger car, and in the front of the passenger car, it'd be my mom and Sue Sifford, and I'd be in the back. And I was not old enough to go in the pits, but sue, she would turn around, she goes, kenny, if you just shut up, I'll give you a dollar. And I was smart. I'd shut up.
- [78:13]
Clay Milliken
Yeah. Heck, yeah.
- [78:15]
Kenny Wallace
And at that time, yeah, I was born that way. We're both a little off center, but we love people. We love life, and I'm not gonna let anybody take that away from me. And so, listen, I think this is it, my friend. And I want to let everybody know that you can watch us right here on YouTube. You can see Clay Milliken's pretty face. And now we are over there on Dale Earnhardt Jr's Dirty Mo podcast. So you can look at Clay. But also remember, if you're on the road and you don't have the ability, just go to Dirty Mo podcast, and all the Kenny conversations are on there. So any last words, Clay?
- [78:55]
Clay Milliken
Man, I think we ain't even scratched the surface because I saw your notes. You said. You said Amy Hernhart told you you was like a. A detective, an FBI agent.
- [79:05]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, we didn't.
- [79:06]
Clay Milliken
We didn't even scratch the surface.
- [79:08]
Kenny Wallace
We.
- [79:08]
Clay Milliken
We. We didn't talk about Rick Ware racing. All the stuff we need. Part two is what I'm saying.
- [79:13]
Kenny Wallace
Always. Always. It's with everybody. I do. And yeah, I won't let people hang there. So I was doing getting ready. I. I called Dale Jr. And I said, Junior, I said, you know, I'm going to ask you permission. Can I interview Amy? I said, I think she's so funny on, you know, your. Your stuff. You do. And he laughed. And he goes, oh, that would be awesome. So he gives me, he gives me permission, gives me her phone number. She says, yes? I asked very nicely. Well, it comes time in the night before, you know, I said, okay, you know, the night before, like I did with you. Okay, we're good to go in the morning or whatever it is, and. And she start out of nowhere. I get this text later at night. She goes, should I. Should I know what's going on? I'm a little nervous. I said, I'll send you my notes. So I center my notes and the response I get is, omg, you are like the CIA. I knew about her high school and I had a picture of her as a cheerleader. How did you do all that? I said, it's tricks of the trade, Amy. So, yeah, I saw an awful lot. But, you know, I think I only have enough energy and I, I have. All my friends say, you know, hour. I mean, two hours can be good. I don't know about you, but we did it, right? We're an hour 16. And I've loved every second of it.
- [80:33]
Clay Milliken
Me too, Kenny. I. I appreciate the invite. I've had a blast and I do look forward to doing it again. And hopefully I can do it again whether I win a race or not. But I'm planning on winning more.
- [80:44]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, I love it. Okay, everybody, we've said it all until the next Kenny conversation. We'll see you next time.
- [80:51]
Clay Milliken
Stop on that loud pedal.
- [81:00]
Kenny Wallace
Check out the DirtyMoo media on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
- [81:05]
Adobe Creative Cloud
Creativity is at the heart of everything you do, and Adobe Creative Cloud helps you take your projects to the next level. No matter what you're working on this semester, build pro level skills and create your best work with Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and over 20 other powerful creative apps. Students save over 65% on Adobe Creative Cloud. The go to toolkit for every everything from class projects to standout portfolios. Make your ideas shine in and out of the classroom. Visit adobe.com students to save big today.
- [81:37]
Amica Insurance
Every day our world gets a little more connected, but a little further apart. But then there are moments that remind us to be more human.
- [81:50]
Clay Milliken
Thank you for calling amica.
- [81:51]
Kenny Wallace
And she Insurance.
- [81:52]
Clay Milliken
Hey, I was just in an accident. Don't worry.
- [81:55]
Kenny Wallace
We'll get you taken care of.
- [81:56]
Amica Insurance
At Amica, we understand that looking out for each other isn't new or groundbreaking.
- [82:02]
Adobe Creative Cloud
It's human.
- [82:03]
Amica Insurance
Amica, empathy is our best policy.