Drag Illustrated Issue 127, November 2017 | Page 24
Dirt
It’s hard to question him, either, as his ebullient
nature can’t help but give others around him a
jolt. That includes his young team, his crew chief,
Rob Wendland, and a fanbase that shares the
same passion for the sport as he does.
“It’s just all passion and desire,” McMillen
says. “The passion I have and the challenge to be
successful, that’s my carrot. It’s all about positive
energy, and persistence outweighs any resistance
I run into. I just don’t want to fail. While we may
have setbacks, we don’t fail.”
That mindset has been a constant for McMillen
because things have certainly been tough at times.
He had come close in recent years, advancing
to two final rounds leading up to Vegas. There
have been plenty of growing pains in that process,
including developing a young team, but McMillen
saw something impressive from them all this year.
“Rob has done a masterful job with the young
kids,” acknowledges McMillen, who finished a
career-best ninth in points this year. “Rob has
done a great job pushing them to their limit,
making them the best they can be.”
The win, which was also the first for
Wendland as a crew chief, culminated a dream
season that also included McMillen qualifying
for the Countdown to the Championship for
the first time in his year. That means there’s
as much momentum as there’s ever been for
McMillen, who said the only remaining goals
are to win multiple races in a season and win
a championship.
After the season they had, it’s an idea that is not
so far-fetched. McMillen already sees a different
energy in his team, all from a life-changing
moment for everyone in Las Vegas.
“It’s truly been an amazing year and we’ll have
memories that are never going to be taken away,”
McMillen says. “Sometimes you get into a slump
and it’s how do you get out of it. (Now) we’re
riding a real good high from our career-best
season. We’re all enjoying and embracing what
comes next. We’re going to do it with a bounce
in our step.”
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24 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
Issue 127
TERRY MCMILLEN