“This is kind of a redemption year for us,” said McMillen. “We lost in the finals a year ago. The only way to make that better is to come home with the title this year.”
Plymouth native Tad Heflick will have something to say about McMillen’s success as the cylinder head specialist on the crew. He and his teammates are ready to help make a run at the IHRA title.
“We have confidence that everybody is going to do their job,” said Heflick. “We have to be good at what we do. (McMillen’s) life is in our hands when he’s out there at 300 miles an hour.”
After six years with the crew, Heflick says that race day is still a thrill.
“It’s awesome to see that car go 300 miles an hour,” he said. “It’s really special to be a part of this team.”
If McMillen wins this weekend his experience as a driver will be a big part of it. A veteran of 35 years on the circuit, he may never have gotten started driving if not for one person.
“I really blew it in school. I didn’t think I needed all that to go racing,” said McMillen. “When I was in the seventh grade, my teacher Miss Smith allowed me to write my English assignments about racing articles that I read. I’ve looked everywhere for her for years, but I haven’t been able to find her. She’s the one that turned my life around and really made it possible for me to be where I am today. I owe her a lot of thanks.”
From there it’s been McMillen’s own hard work that has been the difference. He obviously turned his school work around, becoming an electrical engineer by trade.
“I suppose it has its days, but what could be better than racing?” said McMillen with a laugh of the occupation he left behind. “You’re indoors in the cold of winter I guess, but now I get to go to Florida and race in the winter.”
It was more hard work that gave him his racing start, and he’s never forgotten where he came from.
“I had a paper route back in Chicago when I was a kid and I found the first car I wanted to race  — a ‘32 Ford,” he said. “I didn’t have enough to pay for it so I got a second paper route and made arrangements with the guy to allow me to make monthly payments until I had it paid off.
“We’ve been really blessed with this team and with all the things we have in place and it’s one reason why we are so involved helping with youth racing, sponsoring kids, helping them to write proposals to get their own sponsors and helping them in school. It’s a tribute to all the guys on this team. I may be the owner, but it’s all about them.”