Class Ceiling
NHRA recap: For Millican, life is a highway at Route 66 Nationals
By Tery Red ( Crew Chief for Mr. Mad /RigTech Motorsports)
Jun 4, 2018, 5:45 pm
Life is a highway and it's called Route 66!
Just ask Clay Millican as he cruised down 66 in his Parts Plus/Great Clips dragster, to a swell 3.894 @ 289.32 mph, making this his third career win. It was the highlight performance of the JEGS Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Elwood, Ill.
Amid all the fanfare , Leah Pritchett and DSR teammate Antron Brown participated in a "Charity Challenge” sponsored by Papa John" Schnatter . Pizza + horsepower! Now's a party!
Pritchett was in a supercharged 2017 Dodge Challenger (that things got a HEMI!) beating out Pizza Czar Papa John Schnatter's prized 1971 Camaro Z28, the same car he bought for $1,600 when he was 15. Can you say Grudge Match? Being a Chevy girl, I must say with all due respect, Papa John would have had that win in the bag if not for that sneaky red eye as Leah was slicking down the track with transmission oil.
Talk about a class act, way to go Matt Smith, Angie (Smith) is a proud girl as you post up on the top spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle!
Angie and Matt are my pick for the Dynamic Duo in the NHRA PSM.
And the Wally goes to:
Top Fuel -- Clay Millican, 3.894 seconds, 289.32 mph def. Leah Pritchett, 4.501 seconds, 192.08 mph.
Funny Car -- Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.073, 310.63 def. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 4.310, 230.21.
Pro Stock -- Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.574, 210.67 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, Foul - Red Light.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Matt Smith, Victory, 6.816, 195.87 def. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.862, 193.24.
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues June 8-10 , 2018 at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond.
Victor Caratini homered, Isaac Paredes drove in a run and the Houston Astros shut out the Philadelphia Phillies for a second straight game with a 2-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Houston starter Colton Gordon (3-1) allowed four singles and struck out four in five innings.
Gordo gettin' it done! #BuiltForThis x @budweiserusa pic.twitter.com/avTNnf7Htq
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 26, 2025
Josh Hader struck out one in the ninth for his 21st save.
Jeremy Peña hit a leadoff ground-rule double and scored on a groundball single by Isaac Paredes to give Houston an early lead.
Houston’s pitching staff had retired nine straight when Brandon Marsh singled to right field off Bryan King with one out in the eighth. Trea Turner’s single on a grounder to center field sent Marsh to third before Kyle Schwarber singled on an infield grounder to load the bases.
But, King struck out Alec Bohm before Nick Castellanos grounded out to leave Philadelphia emptyhanded.
Caratini’s solo shot came with two outs in the bottom of the inning to give the Astros an insurance run.
Vic gets a hold of one!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/3umvpJTCMx
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 26, 2025
Wednesday’s win comes after the Astros got a 1-0 victory in Tuesday’s series opener. Houston is now tied with Philadelphia and Chicago for the third-best record in baseball (47-33).
Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler (7-3) yielded four hits and a run while striking out eight in six innings.
The Phillies had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth, but Gordon struck out Marsh and Turner to end the threat.
Jake Meyers sprinted to make a catch on the warning track in center field on a ball hit by Bryson Stott for the second out of the seventh inning.
King shutting the Phillies down after loading the bases in the eighth to preserve the lead.
Wednesday was the sixth time the Phillies have been shut out this season. Philadelphia has not scored a run in 19 straight innings.
Houston RHP Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.88 ERA), whose ERA leads the majors, opposes LHP Cristopher Sánchez (6-2, 2.87) when the series concludes Thursday.