EPPING, NH. - Clay Millican continued to blaze a trail toward an unprecedented perfect season by winning the Top Fuel title at the IHRA Amalie Oil North American Nationals at New England Dragway, Epping, New Hampshire.

The 2001 IHRA world champion defeated Bruce Litton of Indianapolis for the eighth time this season in a side-by-side pass, 4.736/316.08 to Litton's 5.060/250.51.

Every time he makes a pass in the Werner Top Fuel car, Millican makes history.

"This is just unbelievable. Every time this car goes down the track, it makes history. The only thing better then ten wins is 11.."

Millican has won 16 of the last 17 IHRA Top Fuel event titles and his tenth win gives him the most wins ever in an IHRA season.

Mitch Stott defeated Shannon Jenkins in Pro Modified, giving the Mill Spring, North Carolina driver his second career win; his first win in a supercharged car. Jenkins, who entered the North American Nationals 20 points behind Al Billes, took out Billes and Ed Hoover and emerged with a 33 point lead.

"The Radiac Maniac" Stott beat Jenkins at his own game, executing a brilliant holeshot and a .495 light to Shannon's .582.

Mitch defeated Mike Janis in the semi-final round, with Jenkins beating Ed Hoover, who lies third in points, to move to the championship race.

"I told Shannon at Norwalk that I was going to get on his back and it was going to be "mortal hell" to get me off," said the quotable Stott. "Shannon is a heck of a competitor and anytime you can beat him, you know you've accomplished something.

"I give credit to Shannon Jenkins for making Pro Modified as competitive as it is. I give credit to my dad, my crew and my family for helping me; there's no way I can outrun that man without their help."

Jenkins came to New England knowing the supercharged cars were after him.

"The supercharged guys always want a piece of me," said the driver who answers to the moniker "Iceman." "In fact, I wouldn't limit it to the supercharged cars, everybody wants to beat me."

I've never done well at New England," added Shannon. "The way we started out didn't leave me too confident, but my crew worked around it. We lost the battle today but we're winning the war and leave here with a 33-point lead. We came in down 20 and this team is ready for a championship run."

No nitrous Pro Modified has won at New England Dragway since 1992.

Steve Stordeur survived a holeshot to drive past Mark Conner and win the Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley-Davidson crown. Conner stunned Stordeur with a .482 light and seemed destined to win his first ever race until he slowed at the thousand-foot mark.

With the win, Stordeur trails Doug Vancil by a slim nine points. Vancil, the 2001 world champion went out in the first round at the hands of the suddenly competitive Conner, who drives for motorcycle legend Jim McClure.

"I never did gave up trying to catch Doug," explained Stordeur. "I just thought it would be difficult. Fortunately, he lost early this weekend, which helped us move on. This should make the next race at Budds Creek interesting."

"We're not messing around," exclaimed a happy Conner. "We got some momentum at Norwalk and it continued here. Now, on to Maryland."

Jimmy Rector of Vernon, Ala. extended his Funny Car points lead, defeating Dale Brand of Sully, IA. The Amalie Oil North American Nationals marked the fifth time the two have met this year, with Rector leading the victory tally, four to one.

The final was marked by a close side by side pass with Rector overcoming tire shake to nip Brand 5.841/241.71 to 5.866/241.37. The reaction times were almost identical, Brand with a .459 to Rector's .457.

"This championship is going to go down to the end between me and Dale," stated Rector. "In the second round, this "thing" shook its tires and turned sideways. We managed to win.

"I broke an accelerator bracket Saturday night, but thank god, it was during qualifying. I have a tough crew and I don't know how Dale or anybody can beat them," added a proud Rector.

With the win, Rector reestablished his hold on the Funny Car championship race he lost to Brand during July and August. He leads Brand 1,003 to 917.

In Sunoco Pro Stock, Brian Gahm of Lucasville, Ohio took his third win of the season, defeating Elijah Morton in an all Ford Mustang final. Gahm also won on a hole-shot, leaving Morton, competing in his second straight final, .445 to .494 and out-powering the former IHRA Top Sportsman standout at the top end.

"We needed a win at Epping," said Gahm. "We started off slow but swapped a few things around and it kept getting better. The car came around, my driving kept improving and it all worked out well in the end."

Gahm extended his Pro Stock championship lead to 158 points over John Montecalvo.

The next race on the 2002 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series schedule is the CARQUEST Auto Parts Mid-Atlantic Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, Budds Creek, Md., September 27-29, 2002.

For the first time in that event's history, Top Fuel cars will compete at the newly renovated Maryland International Raceway.

EPPING, N.H. -- Sunday's final results from the 7th annual Amalie Oil North American Nationals at New England Dragway. The $1.1 million race is the tenth of 12 in the Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Clay Millican, 4.736 seconds, 316.08 mph def. Bruce Litton, 5.060 seconds, 250.51 mph.

Nitro Harley -- Steve Stordeur, 6.447, 213.13 def. Mark Conner, 6.658, 197.45.

Pro Modified -- Mitch Stott, Chevy Corvette, 6.315, 225.41 def. Shannon Jenkins, Chevy Camaro, 6.291, 222.25.

Funny Car -- Jimmy Rector, Chevy Camaro, 5.841, 241.71 def. Dale Brand, Pontiac Firebird, 5.866, 241.37.

Pro Stock -- Brian Gahm, Ford Mustang, 6.592, 211.06 def. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.616, 210.50.

EPPING, N.H. -- Final round-by-round results from the 7th annual Amalie Oil North American Nationals at New England Dragway, the tenth of 12 events in the Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series - TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Louie Allison, 10.597, 80.67 def. Jack Ostrander, 11.670, 89.91; Bruce Litton, 4.942, 298.47 def. Grant Flowers, 5.240, 280.25; Paul Romine, 4.788, 292.77 def. Bobby Lagana Jr, broke; Clay Millican, 6.854, 118.84 def. Roger Dean, broke; SEMIFINALS -- Millican, 4.903, 295.14 def. Allison, 15.244, 73.02; Litton, 4.911, 303.57 def. Romine, 8.447, 121.42; FINAL -- Millican, 4.736, 316.08 def. Litton, 5.060, 250.51.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE -- Ed Hoover, Chevy Corvette, 6.406, 220.30 def. Michael Faucher, Pontiac Trans Am, 6.458, 219.61; Mitch Stott, Corvette, 6.326, 225.67 def. Pat Moore, Chevy Bel Air, 6.361, 223.02; Mike Janis, Corvette, 6.331, 226.01 def. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.365, 223.14; Paul Athey, Corvette, 6.407, 221.89 def. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.372, 228.50; Thomas Patterson, Corvette, 6.393, 193.77 def. Chip King, Dodge Avenger, 6.385, 222.80; Shannon Jenkins, Chevy Camaro, 6.297, 223.14 def. Al Billes, Studebaker, 6.618, 214.66; Fred Hahn, Corvette, 6.382, 221.02 def. Troy Critchley, Corvette, 6.977, 219.94; Sal Passarelli, Chevy Nova, 6.353, 222.80 def. Steve Vick, Camaro, 6.382, 219.51; QUARTERFINALS -- Hoover, 6.332, 211.86 def. Athey, 10.195, 86.74; M. Stott, 6.359, 202.15 def. Hahn, 10.228, 86.14; Janis, 6.348, 226.77 def. Passarelli, 6.419, 221.74; Jenkins, 6.293, 223.69 def. Patterson, 8.917, 112.58; SEMIFINALS -- M. Stott, 6.300, 226.01 def. Janis, 7.305, 143.03; Jenkins, 6.311, 222.03 def. Hoover, 6.303, 224.47; FINAL -- M. Stott, 6.315, 225.41 def. Jenkins, 6.291, 222.25.

NITRO HARLEY:

ROUND ONE -- Steve Stordeur, 7.787, 177.09 def. Mike Romine, 7.945, 184.80; Mark Cox, 6.530, 191.19 def. Ray Price, 6.888, 218.09; Johnny Mancuso, 7.956, 148.46 def. Joe Scatella, 16.314, 55.34; Mark Conner, 6.473, 217.42 def. Doug Vancil, 9.797, 88.20; SEMIFINALS -- Stordeur, 6.443, 210.37 def. Cox, 6.638, 201.22; Conner, 6.600, 204.85 def. Mancuso, 6.572, 206.83; FINAL -- Stordeur, 6.447, 213.13 def. Conner, 6.658, 197.45.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Dale Brand, Pontiac Firebird, 5.806, 241.15 def. George McNeil, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 6.166, 223.02; Jimmy Rector, Chevy Camaro, 5.844, 242.50 def. Dan Roman, Firebird, 6.066, 235.56; Laurie Cannister, Camaro, 5.815, 242.36 def. Dave Ray, Ford Mustang, 6.077, 229.70; David Rowe, Cutlass, 5.996, 236.34 def. Jim Sickles, Camaro, broke; Rob Atchison, Firebird, 5.902, 236.38 def. Charles Gambino, Chevy Corvette, 6.022, 234.21; Mark Thomas, Dodge Avenger, 5.920, 237.05 def. Mike Comella, Avenger, 6.128, 232.43; Terry McMillen, Avenger, 6.002, 236.75 def. Fred Tigges, Camaro, 6.011, 236.13; John Vouros, Firebird, 6.701, 172.32 def. Ronnie Midyette, Camaro, 8.870, 91.67; QUARTERFINALS -- Brand, 5.880, 238.51 def. Vouros, 6.954, 152.02; Cannister, 5.839, 243.90 def. Thomas, 5.946, 243.15; Rector, 6.020, 240.12 def. McMillen, 6.081, 237.55; Atchison, 5.926, 236.92 def. Rowe, 5.934, 239.61; SEMIFINALS -- Brand, 5.865, 238.81 def. Atchison, 5.985, 225.67; Rector, 5.862, 240.59 def. Cannister, 5.865, 240.55; FINAL -- Rector, 5.841, 241.71 def. Brand, 5.866, 241.37.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Brian Gahm, Ford Mustang, 6.592, 211.10 def. John Bartunek, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.625, 209.69; Doug Kirk, Chevy Cavalier, 6.641, 210.08 def. Dwayne Rice, Grand Am, 6.659, 210.54; Jason Collins, Mercury Cougar, 6.646, 210.54 def. John Konigshofer, Cougar, 6.657, 210.11; Steve Williford, Cavalier, 6.625, 210.34 def. Rick Jones, Dodge Neon R/T, 6.658, 210.60; Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.620, 210.50 def. Chris Holbrook, Cougar, 6.627, 211.76; Jeff Dobbins, Ford Probe, 6.640, 211.83 def. Gary Henry, Cavalier, 6.636, 209.69; Carl Baker, Cougar, 6.595, 211.26 def. Larry Larson, Cavalier, 6.644, 211.53; John Montecalvo, Cavalier, 6.594, 210.90 def. Pete Berner, Mustang, 6.666, 210.14; QUARTERFINALS -- Morton, 6.659, 210.44 def. Collins, 21.826, 35.40; Baker, 6.629, 209.59 def. Kirk, 6.627, 210.50; Dobbins, 6.673, 210.54 def. Montecalvo, 6.615, 210.90; Gahm, 6.620, 210.54 def. Williford, 6.643, 210.90; SEMIFINALS -- Morton, 6.676, 209.98 def. Baker, 7.155, 204.76; Gahm, 6.611, 209.85 def. Dobbins, 6.635, 211.39; FINAL -- Gahm, 6.592, 211.06 def. Morton, 6.616, 210.50.

EPPING, N.H. -- Point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the 7th annual Amalie Oil North American Nationals at New England Dragway, the tenth of 12 events in the Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1. Clay Millican, 1,249; 2. Bruce Litton, 1,040; 3. Paul Romine, 858; 4. Louie Allison, 627; 5. Josh Starcher, 514; 6. Roger Dean, 488; 7. Donald Reed, 379; 8. Jack Ostrander, 312; 9. John Sipple, 278; 10. Bobby Lagana Jr, 243.

Pro Modified

1. Shannon Jenkins, 734; 2. Al Billes, 701; 3. Ed Hoover, 638; 4. Mitch Stott, 608; 5. Mike Janis, 548; 6. Fred Hahn, 411; 7. Harold Martin, 391; 8. Thomas Patterson, 384; 9. Quain Stott, 359; 10. Alan Pittman, 341.

Nitro Harley

1. Doug Vancil, 1,124; 2. Steve Stordeur, 1,115; 3. Johnny Mancuso, 877; 4. Ray Price, 863; 5. Mark Conner, 816; 6. Mike Romine, 777; 7. Mark Cox, 400; 8. Joe Scatella, 392; 9. Jack Romine, 277; 10. Jay Turner, 232.

Funny Car

1. Jimmy Rector, 1,003; 2. Dale Brand, 917; 3. Laurie Cannister, 603; 4. Mark Thomas, 578; 5. Mike Comella, 436; 6. Rob Atchison, 431; 7. Terry McMillen, 402; 8. Ronnie Midyette, 360; 9. John Vouros, 320; 10. Chris Foster, 232.

Pro Stock

1. Brian Gahm, 806; 2. John Montecalvo, 648; 3. Carl Baker, 608; 4. Jeff Dobbins, 503; 5. Jason Collins, 493; 6. John Bartunek, 442; 7. Elijah Morton, 421; 8. Ron Miller, 387; 9. Chris Holbrook, 372; 10. Doug Kirk, 366.