MCCLENATHAN RIDES A WAVE OF CONSISTENCY INTO SEATTLE
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_mcclenathan_9771.jpg" alt="c_mcclenathan_9771" align="right"borders="0"/>
INDIANAPOLIS (July 14, 2008) – Cory McClenathan and the FRAM Top Fuel dragster team are riding a wave of consistent performance going into this weekend's 21st annual NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways (outside of Seattle), the 14th stop on the 24-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. It is also the second of three consecutive national events on the "Western Swing," which includes Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif.
With four career final-round Top Fuel appearances at Pacific Raceways, including one victory in 1997 and runner-up finishes in 1993, 1995 and 1998, plus a No. 1 in qualifying effort in 1993, McClenathan is well-seasoned for this weekend's event.
This year he is driving one of the most consistent Top Fuel dragsters in the class, as evidenced by his four semifinal finishes in the past five national events. He's also been to a pair of final rounds this season, winning in Las Vegas in April. He currently sits solidly in No. 4 in the point standings and, with only four races remaining to set the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship following the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, he stands a strong chance of vying once again for his first Top Fuel championship.
"Seattle is a great place," said McClenathan. "We've done very well there in the past and I look forward to returning there. The weather's been off and on there, but one thing about Pacific Raceways is that you have all those trees and you get a lot of oxygen, which helps produce more power in the engines, and we also get back down to sea level. And that's good for this FRAM dragster. I think crew chief Mike Green and the guys will do a great job there.
"My daughter Courtney will be joining us and I'm looking forward to that," he added with a smile. "Three weeks on the road is tough, but I have to go back to California before I get to Seattle and bury my grandmother (who died last week) and then I'll be in Seattle on Thursday ready to start qualifying and hopefully knock 'em dead on Sunday."
CORY McCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in Top Fuel point standings after 14 events in 2008 (one win in two final rounds, four semifinal, two quarterfinal finishes, five first rounds)
* No. 11 qualifier at last year's Seattle event, lost first round
* Four final-round appearances in Seattle, won in 1997; runner-up in 1993,1995 and 1998
* Qualified No. 1 in Seattle in 1993
* Won the NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas April 13 this year, his 30th career Top Fuel victory in 52 final rounds
* Runner-up in 2008 season-opening race in Pomona
* Finished 2007 season 12th in Top Fuel points, the first time out of the top 10 since 2001
* Has recorded 415 career round wins in Top Fuel
* No. 1 qualifying twice in 2008 (Atlanta and Denver), has 32 career top qualifiers
* 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 52 final round appearances, fourth among active 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 four-second run
* Made NHRA history with first run in the 4.70s (4.799) at Reading in 1992
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17 mph run in Dallas in 1997
* 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)
* Qualified No. 1 at 31 races, including once this season (Atlanta) and a career-high seven times in 1993
* 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
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_mcclenathan_9771.jpg" alt="c_mcclenathan_9771" align="right"borders="0"/>
INDIANAPOLIS (July 14, 2008) – Cory McClenathan and the FRAM Top Fuel dragster team are riding a wave of consistent performance going into this weekend's 21st annual NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways (outside of Seattle), the 14th stop on the 24-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. It is also the second of three consecutive national events on the "Western Swing," which includes Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif.
With four career final-round Top Fuel appearances at Pacific Raceways, including one victory in 1997 and runner-up finishes in 1993, 1995 and 1998, plus a No. 1 in qualifying effort in 1993, McClenathan is well-seasoned for this weekend's event.
This year he is driving one of the most consistent Top Fuel dragsters in the class, as evidenced by his four semifinal finishes in the past five national events. He's also been to a pair of final rounds this season, winning in Las Vegas in April. He currently sits solidly in No. 4 in the point standings and, with only four races remaining to set the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship following the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, he stands a strong chance of vying once again for his first Top Fuel championship.
"Seattle is a great place," said McClenathan. "We've done very well there in the past and I look forward to returning there. The weather's been off and on there, but one thing about Pacific Raceways is that you have all those trees and you get a lot of oxygen, which helps produce more power in the engines, and we also get back down to sea level. And that's good for this FRAM dragster. I think crew chief Mike Green and the guys will do a great job there.
"My daughter Courtney will be joining us and I'm looking forward to that," he added with a smile. "Three weeks on the road is tough, but I have to go back to California before I get to Seattle and bury my grandmother (who died last week) and then I'll be in Seattle on Thursday ready to start qualifying and hopefully knock 'em dead on Sunday."
CORY McCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in Top Fuel point standings after 14 events in 2008 (one win in two final rounds, four semifinal, two quarterfinal finishes, five first rounds)
* No. 11 qualifier at last year's Seattle event, lost first round
* Four final-round appearances in Seattle, won in 1997; runner-up in 1993,1995 and 1998
* Qualified No. 1 in Seattle in 1993
* Won the NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas April 13 this year, his 30th career Top Fuel victory in 52 final rounds
* Runner-up in 2008 season-opening race in Pomona
* Finished 2007 season 12th in Top Fuel points, the first time out of the top 10 since 2001
* Has recorded 415 career round wins in Top Fuel
* No. 1 qualifying twice in 2008 (Atlanta and Denver), has 32 career top qualifiers
* 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 52 final round appearances, fourth among active 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 four-second run
* Made NHRA history with first run in the 4.70s (4.799) at Reading in 1992
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17 mph run in Dallas in 1997
* 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)
* Qualified No. 1 at 31 races, including once this season (Atlanta) and a career-high seven times in 1993
* 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
