Mathematically, Cory McClenathan, third in the rankings, still has a chance to claim his first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Top Fuel championship, as the 2010 season comes to an end this weekend at the 46th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
Realistically, he's racing the FRAM Top Fuel dragster for second place
behind points leader Larry Dixon. In his way is his own Don Schumacher
Racing teammate Tony Schumacher, 21 markers ahead of him in second place.
Dixon holds an 85-point margin over Schumacher, 106 over McClenathan. The
number of maximum points available on a race weekend is 150, which includes
points for qualifying position, bonus points for the quickest qualifier in
each round, 20 points per round win, and 20 bonus points for setting a
national elapsed-time record.
"We've seen championships won before in the final round, under similar
circumstances," said McClenathan, who leaves DSR at the end of the 2010
season. ³But, at the same time, I'm not sure what my mind should be on at
what part of the day.
"It's a little crazy to think, Oh, well, OK, I might be driving a different
car next year, but I am certainly glad to be in the position I'm in right
now to be able to go toe-to-toe with Tony and Larry and try to win the last
race while I'm in the FRAM Top Fuel dragster. That's my biggest goal.
"The weather in Pomona could certainly be conducive to running low elapsed
times and big speed. The ET national record would give us the 20 points we
need, and that certainly would be good. And if we can go out and qualify on
top, we could have a shot at it.
"It's obviously important to me as well as (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and
Phil (Shuler) and all the FRAM boys. I'd like nothing better than to give
these guys a win at the end of the season."
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* Age 47 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Fishers,
Ind.; daughter Courtney (10/25/90); engaged to Debi Dixon
* No. 3 in 2010 point standings after five of six events in Countdown (two
runner-ups, two semifinals, one first round)
* Is 106 points behind leader Larry Dixon, 21 back of Tony Schumacher in
second
* Two-time Pomona 2 winner, in 1992 and 2002; runner-up in 1994
* Pomona 1 runner-up in 2003 and 2008
* No. 1 qualifier in 1993 at both Pomona events; again at Pomona 1 in 1994;
at Pomona 2 in 1996; and at Pomona 1 in 2010
* Qualified No. 7 at 2009 Pomona 2, lost second round to Larry Dixon
* Had three victories (in six final rounds) and five semifinal finishes in
the first 17 races of the "regular" season
* Has five No. 1 qualifiers so far in 2010
* Has 34 career Top Fuel victories in 65 final rounds
* Has finished No. 2 in the standings four times (1992, 1995, 1997 and 1998)
* No. 5 in 2009 "regular season" Top Fuel point standings
* No. 4 in 2009 year-end standings with a victory in Concord, N.C., the
opening round of the playoffs
* Had one win in four final rounds in 2009, plus five semifinal and six
quarterfinal finishes
* Qualified No. 1 once in 2009 (Bristol)
* 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
* 1996 and 1999 U.S. Nationals champion; runner-up in 1997
* Career-best elapsed time to 1000 feet: 3.752 seconds (Englishtown '10) -
the quickest ET in NHRA history racing to 1000 feet
* Career-best speed to 1000 feet: 324.75 mph (Englishtown 2010) - second
fastest in NHRA 1000-foot era
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in
1997 (quarter-mile)
* Has recorded 511 career round wins in Top Fuel (500th won in Brainerd
2010)
* Qualified No. 1 38 times, with a career-high seven times in 1993
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* 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
* Missed four races in 1993 after crash in Rockingham and still finished
sixth in the Top Fuel points
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2010 is fifth season with
sponsorship from FRAM
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Nov. 12 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 13 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN3.com will televise of coverage of eliminations
starting at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of
coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 /
Transponder 21K
Sunday, Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(12111 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.
Realistically, he's racing the FRAM Top Fuel dragster for second place
behind points leader Larry Dixon. In his way is his own Don Schumacher
Racing teammate Tony Schumacher, 21 markers ahead of him in second place.
Dixon holds an 85-point margin over Schumacher, 106 over McClenathan. The
number of maximum points available on a race weekend is 150, which includes
points for qualifying position, bonus points for the quickest qualifier in
each round, 20 points per round win, and 20 bonus points for setting a
national elapsed-time record.
"We've seen championships won before in the final round, under similar
circumstances," said McClenathan, who leaves DSR at the end of the 2010
season. ³But, at the same time, I'm not sure what my mind should be on at
what part of the day.
"It's a little crazy to think, Oh, well, OK, I might be driving a different
car next year, but I am certainly glad to be in the position I'm in right
now to be able to go toe-to-toe with Tony and Larry and try to win the last
race while I'm in the FRAM Top Fuel dragster. That's my biggest goal.
"The weather in Pomona could certainly be conducive to running low elapsed
times and big speed. The ET national record would give us the 20 points we
need, and that certainly would be good. And if we can go out and qualify on
top, we could have a shot at it.
"It's obviously important to me as well as (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and
Phil (Shuler) and all the FRAM boys. I'd like nothing better than to give
these guys a win at the end of the season."
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* Age 47 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Fishers,
Ind.; daughter Courtney (10/25/90); engaged to Debi Dixon
* No. 3 in 2010 point standings after five of six events in Countdown (two
runner-ups, two semifinals, one first round)
* Is 106 points behind leader Larry Dixon, 21 back of Tony Schumacher in
second
* Two-time Pomona 2 winner, in 1992 and 2002; runner-up in 1994
* Pomona 1 runner-up in 2003 and 2008
* No. 1 qualifier in 1993 at both Pomona events; again at Pomona 1 in 1994;
at Pomona 2 in 1996; and at Pomona 1 in 2010
* Qualified No. 7 at 2009 Pomona 2, lost second round to Larry Dixon
* Had three victories (in six final rounds) and five semifinal finishes in
the first 17 races of the "regular" season
* Has five No. 1 qualifiers so far in 2010
* Has 34 career Top Fuel victories in 65 final rounds
* Has finished No. 2 in the standings four times (1992, 1995, 1997 and 1998)
* No. 5 in 2009 "regular season" Top Fuel point standings
* No. 4 in 2009 year-end standings with a victory in Concord, N.C., the
opening round of the playoffs
* Had one win in four final rounds in 2009, plus five semifinal and six
quarterfinal finishes
* Qualified No. 1 once in 2009 (Bristol)
* 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
* 1996 and 1999 U.S. Nationals champion; runner-up in 1997
* Career-best elapsed time to 1000 feet: 3.752 seconds (Englishtown '10) -
the quickest ET in NHRA history racing to 1000 feet
* Career-best speed to 1000 feet: 324.75 mph (Englishtown 2010) - second
fastest in NHRA 1000-foot era
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in
1997 (quarter-mile)
* Has recorded 511 career round wins in Top Fuel (500th won in Brainerd
2010)
* Qualified No. 1 38 times, with a career-high seven times in 1993
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* 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
* Missed four races in 1993 after crash in Rockingham and still finished
sixth in the Top Fuel points
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2010 is fifth season with
sponsorship from FRAM
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Nov. 12 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 13 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN3.com will televise of coverage of eliminations
starting at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of
coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 /
Transponder 21K
Sunday, Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(12111 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.
