[coverattach=1]BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Nov. 11, 2008) – FRAM Top Fuel dragster driver Cory McClenathan is looking for a strong finish to the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at this weekend’s 44th annual NHRA Finals at historic Pomona (Calif.) Raceway. He began the year with a runner-up finish at the season-opener there and would like to end the 2008 tour by taking it one step further and into the winner’s circle while making a move up in the standings.
“We still have a shot at finishing second,” said McClenathan, who enters the final race in fourth place, 37 markers behind second-place Hillary Will, in the Countdown to 1 championship rankings. “That’s what we’re all looking towards right now. We know we have a good race car and we know how to run in Pomona.”
If he accomplishes his goal, he’ll be a championship runner-up for the fifth time in his career. No. 1 is no longer available after his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher claimed his sixth Top Fuel championship in Las Vegas two weeks ago. “Nobody had a year like Tony Schumacher and nobody is going to for quite some time from here on out," he said. "But they’re a team that’s been together a long time and that’s what it takes if you’re going to have a great team at this level. You need to have the same guys year in and year out and they need to stick together.
“The FRAM team just needs to pull together and go some rounds on race day. Hopefully we can end the season like we started it off, by going to the final round and collecting as many points as we can. If we could win in Pomona and solidify second place we’d be very happy. And even if we finish the year fourth or fifth, we’ve still had a pretty good year.
“The U.S. Army team and the FRAM team work very well together and we would love to have the DSR dragsters finish one and two in the points.”
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs, after five of six events, 37 points behind second-place Hillary Will
* Has one win in three final rounds, as well as seven semifinal, six quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes in 23 of 24 season events, and two No. 1 qualifiers
* Entered Countdown No. 4 in "regular season" Top Fuel point standings
*Qualified No. 13 at last year’s NHRA Finals, lost to Brandon Bernstein in the first round
* Won the NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas April 13 this year, his 30th career Top Fuel victory in 53 final rounds
* Runner-up in 2008 season-opening race in Pomona and again in Brainerd
* Won the NHRA Finals in 1992 (Eddie Hill) and 2002 (Yuichi Oyama), runner-up in 1994 (Kenny Bernstein)
* No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Finals in 1993 and 1996
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Finished 2007 season 12th in Top Fuel points, the first time out of the top 10 since 2001
* Has recorded 428 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 32 times, including twice this season (Atlanta and Denver) and a career-high seven times in 1993.
* Runner-up in St. Louis in only final-round appearance in 2007
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* Has 30 Top Fuel victories in 53 final round appearances, tied for third among active Top Fuel drivers on all-time wins list
* Has finished No. 2 in the standings four times (1992, 1995, 1997 & 1998)
* Finished No. 10 in rookie season in 1991. Made first 4-second run
* Made NHRA history with first run in the 4.70s (4.799) at Reading in 1992
* Swept the three-race Western Swing in 1997 en route to four consecutive wins and career-high six victories in eight final rounds
* Won four of the first six races in 1998. Equaled career-best with six wins in eight finals
* Won the U.S. Nationals twice (1996, 1999)
* Missed four races in 1993 after crash in Rockingham and still finished sixth in the Top Fuel points
* Age 45 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Brownsburg, Ind.; has 17-year-old daughter Courtney
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; third season with sponsorship from FRAM
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 13 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 14 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 15 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 16 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
“We still have a shot at finishing second,” said McClenathan, who enters the final race in fourth place, 37 markers behind second-place Hillary Will, in the Countdown to 1 championship rankings. “That’s what we’re all looking towards right now. We know we have a good race car and we know how to run in Pomona.”
If he accomplishes his goal, he’ll be a championship runner-up for the fifth time in his career. No. 1 is no longer available after his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher claimed his sixth Top Fuel championship in Las Vegas two weeks ago. “Nobody had a year like Tony Schumacher and nobody is going to for quite some time from here on out," he said. "But they’re a team that’s been together a long time and that’s what it takes if you’re going to have a great team at this level. You need to have the same guys year in and year out and they need to stick together.
“The FRAM team just needs to pull together and go some rounds on race day. Hopefully we can end the season like we started it off, by going to the final round and collecting as many points as we can. If we could win in Pomona and solidify second place we’d be very happy. And even if we finish the year fourth or fifth, we’ve still had a pretty good year.
“The U.S. Army team and the FRAM team work very well together and we would love to have the DSR dragsters finish one and two in the points.”
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs, after five of six events, 37 points behind second-place Hillary Will
* Has one win in three final rounds, as well as seven semifinal, six quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes in 23 of 24 season events, and two No. 1 qualifiers
* Entered Countdown No. 4 in "regular season" Top Fuel point standings
*Qualified No. 13 at last year’s NHRA Finals, lost to Brandon Bernstein in the first round
* Won the NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas April 13 this year, his 30th career Top Fuel victory in 53 final rounds
* Runner-up in 2008 season-opening race in Pomona and again in Brainerd
* Won the NHRA Finals in 1992 (Eddie Hill) and 2002 (Yuichi Oyama), runner-up in 1994 (Kenny Bernstein)
* No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Finals in 1993 and 1996
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Finished 2007 season 12th in Top Fuel points, the first time out of the top 10 since 2001
* Has recorded 428 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 32 times, including twice this season (Atlanta and Denver) and a career-high seven times in 1993.
* Runner-up in St. Louis in only final-round appearance in 2007
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* Has 30 Top Fuel victories in 53 final round appearances, tied for third among active Top Fuel drivers on all-time wins list
* Has finished No. 2 in the standings four times (1992, 1995, 1997 & 1998)
* Finished No. 10 in rookie season in 1991. Made first 4-second run
* Made NHRA history with first run in the 4.70s (4.799) at Reading in 1992
* Swept the three-race Western Swing in 1997 en route to four consecutive wins and career-high six victories in eight final rounds
* Won four of the first six races in 1998. Equaled career-best with six wins in eight finals
* Won the U.S. Nationals twice (1996, 1999)
* Missed four races in 1993 after crash in Rockingham and still finished sixth in the Top Fuel points
* Age 45 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Brownsburg, Ind.; has 17-year-old daughter Courtney
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; third season with sponsorship from FRAM
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 13 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 14 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 15 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 16 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.