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PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2008) - Cory McClenathan, driver of the FRAM Top Fuel dragster for Don Schumacher Racing, was eliminated during the first round of competition today at the NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway, the second event of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
The conditions at Firebird Raceway were overcast and cool for Sunday's eliminations. In the first round McClenathan faced Bob Vandergriff as the second pair of dragsters to go down the quarter-mile. Both cars left the starting line together, but the FRAM dragster lost traction early and Vandergriff drove by to take the win with an elapsed time of 4.593 seconds at 328.30 mph to McClenathan's 11.011/79.39.
"I think we were just pushing it a little too hard," said McClenathan, runner-up at the season-opening Pomona, Calif., event. "Obviously, losing the two qualifying runs on Friday (due to rain) and shutting the car off early on our last run yesterday probably didn't help us. I don't know if the conditions would have been better in the other lane. I think they would have and we would have had a better chance of going down the track.
"(Crew chief) Mike Green thinks we just had a little too much power in the FRAM car. All the incremental numbers looked great and everything looked like we did the right thing,m but we don't know if the track bit us or we're still learning. One way or another we're going to figure out what it is and open up our tuning window a little bit. We may even try to test a little bit before we go to Gainesville, so we'll see how that works out.
"We know we have a great team and a great car with fantastic sponsors and a great owner in Don Schumacher. We'll just have to take our licking.
"I hate losing first round anyway you look at it, so this is one of the one's that hurt."
Next up is the 39th annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 13-16.
TOP FUEL POINT STANDINGS, after two events:
1. Tony Schumacher, 191
2. Larry Dixon, 190 (winner today)
3. Dave Grubnic, 130 (runner-up today)
4. Cory McClenathan, 125
5. Rod Fuller, 124
6. Antron Brown, 112
7. Morgan Lucas, 107
8. Brandon Bernstein, 90
9. Hillary Will, 90
10. Bob Vandergriff, 84
MCCLENATHAN OUT EARLY IN PHOENIX
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2008) - Cory McClenathan, driver of the FRAM Top Fuel dragster for Don Schumacher Racing, was eliminated during the first round of competition today at the NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway, the second event of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
The conditions at Firebird Raceway were overcast and cool for Sunday's eliminations. In the first round McClenathan faced Bob Vandergriff as the second pair of dragsters to go down the quarter-mile. Both cars left the starting line together, but the FRAM dragster lost traction early and Vandergriff drove by to take the win with an elapsed time of 4.593 seconds at 328.30 mph to McClenathan's 11.011/79.39.
"I think we were just pushing it a little too hard," said McClenathan, runner-up at the season-opening Pomona, Calif., event. "Obviously, losing the two qualifying runs on Friday (due to rain) and shutting the car off early on our last run yesterday probably didn't help us. I don't know if the conditions would have been better in the other lane. I think they would have and we would have had a better chance of going down the track.
"(Crew chief) Mike Green thinks we just had a little too much power in the FRAM car. All the incremental numbers looked great and everything looked like we did the right thing,m but we don't know if the track bit us or we're still learning. One way or another we're going to figure out what it is and open up our tuning window a little bit. We may even try to test a little bit before we go to Gainesville, so we'll see how that works out.
"We know we have a great team and a great car with fantastic sponsors and a great owner in Don Schumacher. We'll just have to take our licking.
"I hate losing first round anyway you look at it, so this is one of the one's that hurt."
Next up is the 39th annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 13-16.
TOP FUEL POINT STANDINGS, after two events:
1. Tony Schumacher, 191
2. Larry Dixon, 190 (winner today)
3. Dave Grubnic, 130 (runner-up today)
4. Cory McClenathan, 125
5. Rod Fuller, 124
6. Antron Brown, 112
7. Morgan Lucas, 107
8. Brandon Bernstein, 90
9. Hillary Will, 90
10. Bob Vandergriff, 84
