Drag Illustrated Issue 139, December 2018 | Page 30

Dirt Getting the Band Back Together Clay Millican to reunite with tuner Mike Kloeber in 2019 By Whitney Stringer S traightline Strategy Group, recent- ly announced as the new ownership group of NHRA Top Fuel team Stringer Performance, is proud to announce the addition of Mike Kloeber as crew chief of the Parts Plus/Strutmasters Top Fuel dragster for the 2019 season and beyond. Kloeber, who led veteran driver Clay Millican to an impressive 50 IHRA Top Fuel wins and six IHRA world championships within a seven-year period is excited to have the opportunity to team up with Millican once again. “Getting a call from Doug Stringer with the op- portunity to race with this team provides a path to conclude some unfinished business for us all – winning a NHRA Mello Yello championship,” said Kloeber. “With the addition of partners Scott Gardner and J.J. Koehler to the team, along with Doug, whom I also share a history with, my motivation couldn’t be any higher. Their exper- tise and additional resources position the pro- gram for exceptional growth and performance.” While away from racing, Kloeber has held various positions for a diesel-engine distribution company in Ridgefield, Washington, overseeing the engine manufacturing operations since 2010. Most recently in 2018, Kloeber joined Plexus Corporation as Quality Manager of a $25 mil- lion business-unit involved in semiconductor and automation control panel manufacturing in Portland, Oregon. Kloeber’s last involvement in racing was in 2014, running a few events with Sidnei Frigo’s Top Fuel dragster, but he never lost his passion for the sport or his desire to win a NHRA championship. “A reunion with Doug and Clay is the exact situation I’ve been looking for,” added Kloeber, who had previously worked with Stringer on Jim Epler’s Rug Doctor Funny Car. Stringer couldn’t be happier with the addition of Kloeber to the team. “Sometimes life comes full circle, and we be- lieve our company’s strong ties to faith and family along with an agenda built on trust, passion and desire with the ability to weather storms brought this opportunity together,” said Stringer. “Mike and Clay have had tremendous success in the past and Mike fully embraces our team’s platform and goals.” DI DI DI DI DI DI DI 30 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com DI DI DI Issue 139