MCCLENATHAN PUTS FRAM DRAGSTER IN NO. 10 IN READING QUALIFYING
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_mcclenathan_9771.jpg" alt="c_mcclenathan_9771" align="right"borders="0"/>
MOHNTON, PA. (Aug. 16, 2008) – Cory McClenathan qualified the FRAM Top Fuel dragster No. 10 today for the 24th annual NHRA Nationals at Pennsylvania's historic Maple Grove Raceway, outside of Reading, Pa., making three consistent qualifying runs within one-hundredth of a second of each other.
McClenathan posted his quickest run during the third session under a hot sun today with an elapsed time of 3.920 seconds at 294.18 mph. He also recorded runs of 3.933/306.53 (No. 7) and a tire-smoking 7.054/88.71 (No. 12) on Friday and finished qualifying with a solid 3.932/302.82 (No. 10).
"This FRAM Top Fuel dragster is running good, the car is consistent and the guys are doing a great job," said McClenathan, who won this event in 1997. "We kind of went for it and tried something different during the Friday night session and I think it hurt us, qualifying-wise. That Friday night run is normally so very important, but we're trying to get ready to do some stuff from Indy on because we're locked into the Countdown." The U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend is the last event before the Countdown to 1 playoffs kick in for the final six events of the year.
"The points still matter and we'd like to move up, but I guess we have to do our own dirty work tomorrow and take out Antron Brown in the first round, since he is ahead of us in the points (No. 2)," added McClenathan, who is fourth in the rankings. "Hopefully Larry Dixon (No. 3 in the points) goes out early and we can go some rounds. But those guys are tough over there and we're both Matco Tools cars.
"We're going to go out there and try and win the first round tomorrow and take it from there. The FRAM dragster has been very consistent and we haven't lost in round one for quite a while, so my job is to go out there tomorrow and make sure we don't lose in the first round again."
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_mcclenathan_9771.jpg" alt="c_mcclenathan_9771" align="right"borders="0"/>
MOHNTON, PA. (Aug. 16, 2008) – Cory McClenathan qualified the FRAM Top Fuel dragster No. 10 today for the 24th annual NHRA Nationals at Pennsylvania's historic Maple Grove Raceway, outside of Reading, Pa., making three consistent qualifying runs within one-hundredth of a second of each other.
McClenathan posted his quickest run during the third session under a hot sun today with an elapsed time of 3.920 seconds at 294.18 mph. He also recorded runs of 3.933/306.53 (No. 7) and a tire-smoking 7.054/88.71 (No. 12) on Friday and finished qualifying with a solid 3.932/302.82 (No. 10).
"This FRAM Top Fuel dragster is running good, the car is consistent and the guys are doing a great job," said McClenathan, who won this event in 1997. "We kind of went for it and tried something different during the Friday night session and I think it hurt us, qualifying-wise. That Friday night run is normally so very important, but we're trying to get ready to do some stuff from Indy on because we're locked into the Countdown." The U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend is the last event before the Countdown to 1 playoffs kick in for the final six events of the year.
"The points still matter and we'd like to move up, but I guess we have to do our own dirty work tomorrow and take out Antron Brown in the first round, since he is ahead of us in the points (No. 2)," added McClenathan, who is fourth in the rankings. "Hopefully Larry Dixon (No. 3 in the points) goes out early and we can go some rounds. But those guys are tough over there and we're both Matco Tools cars.
"We're going to go out there and try and win the first round tomorrow and take it from there. The FRAM dragster has been very consistent and we haven't lost in round one for quite a while, so my job is to go out there tomorrow and make sure we don't lose in the first round again."
