[coverattach=1]BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 29, 2009) - Cory McClenathan has many memories of drag racing at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., in the NHRA Midwest Nationals. Some are good, some are not so good, but a victory there is not among them. He'd like to be able to store a triumph in his memory bank following this weekend's NHRA Midwest Nationals.
The driver of the FRAM Tough Guard Top Fuel dragster's best result at Gateway in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series was a runner-up finish in 2007. "I've been around long enough to have done night races there, day races there, it's been miserable at times, it was nice at times," said McClenathan who began his pro career in 1991. "We wrecked a car there in 2006 and didn't get to race on Sunday, so I've had a little bit of everything happen there.
"I'd be real happy to just go in there and qualify well with (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Phil (Shuler) and the whole FRAM Tough Guard team and go some rounds. That's what it's all about.
"Our biggest thing is to get in there and run well Friday afternoon so we can make a good lap Friday evening and work on Saturday's tune-up for Sunday and keep some forward motion going," added McClenathan, who is fourth in the standings and looking for his first win of the season.
In the first six events of the year, McClenathan has advanced to the final round twice, to the semis once and has lost in the first round one time, for a season win-loss record so far of 10-6.
"We're at one of those positions where it's been going well," he said. "We've done very well not beating ourselves first round this year and going rounds. That's a big deal for us." In the rankings, he is just 91 points behind first-place Tony Schumacher, his Don Schumacher Racing teammate.
"I'm real proud of the FRAM Tough Guard crew guys," added McClenathan, who has 30 career wins in 55 final rounds. "Obviously, St. Louis is one of those that escaped me for some reason, but I'd like nothing better than to be in the winner's circle on Sunday."
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in 2009 Top Fuel point standings, with two runner-up, one semifinal, two quarterfinal and one first-round finish in first six events of season
* 91 points out of first place in standings
* No. 3 in 2008 Top Fuel point standings, including one win in three final rounds, as well as eight semifinal, six quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes and two No. 1 qualifiers
* Qualified No. 9 in '08 St. Louis, lost first round to Rod Fuller
* Has never won at Gateway
* Has 30 career Top Fuel victories in 55 final rounds at the time
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Has recorded 442 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 32 times, with a career-high seven times in 1993
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* 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 46 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Brownsburg, Ind.; daughter Courtney (10/25/90)
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2009 is fourth season with sponsorship from FRAM
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, May 1 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 3 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, May 2, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday May 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, May 1, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, May 2, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, May 3, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
The driver of the FRAM Tough Guard Top Fuel dragster's best result at Gateway in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series was a runner-up finish in 2007. "I've been around long enough to have done night races there, day races there, it's been miserable at times, it was nice at times," said McClenathan who began his pro career in 1991. "We wrecked a car there in 2006 and didn't get to race on Sunday, so I've had a little bit of everything happen there.
"I'd be real happy to just go in there and qualify well with (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Phil (Shuler) and the whole FRAM Tough Guard team and go some rounds. That's what it's all about.
"Our biggest thing is to get in there and run well Friday afternoon so we can make a good lap Friday evening and work on Saturday's tune-up for Sunday and keep some forward motion going," added McClenathan, who is fourth in the standings and looking for his first win of the season.
In the first six events of the year, McClenathan has advanced to the final round twice, to the semis once and has lost in the first round one time, for a season win-loss record so far of 10-6.
"We're at one of those positions where it's been going well," he said. "We've done very well not beating ourselves first round this year and going rounds. That's a big deal for us." In the rankings, he is just 91 points behind first-place Tony Schumacher, his Don Schumacher Racing teammate.
"I'm real proud of the FRAM Tough Guard crew guys," added McClenathan, who has 30 career wins in 55 final rounds. "Obviously, St. Louis is one of those that escaped me for some reason, but I'd like nothing better than to be in the winner's circle on Sunday."
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in 2009 Top Fuel point standings, with two runner-up, one semifinal, two quarterfinal and one first-round finish in first six events of season
* 91 points out of first place in standings
* No. 3 in 2008 Top Fuel point standings, including one win in three final rounds, as well as eight semifinal, six quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes and two No. 1 qualifiers
* Qualified No. 9 in '08 St. Louis, lost first round to Rod Fuller
* Has never won at Gateway
* Has 30 career Top Fuel victories in 55 final rounds at the time
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Has recorded 442 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 32 times, with a career-high seven times in 1993
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* 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 46 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Brownsburg, Ind.; daughter Courtney (10/25/90)
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2009 is fourth season with sponsorship from FRAM
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, May 1 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, May 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 3 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, May 2, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday May 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, May 1, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, May 2, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, May 3, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
