[coverattach=1]CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 17, 2010) - Now that the cobwebs are gone after completing the season-opening event of the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Pomona, Calif., last Sunday, Cory McClenathan and the FRAM Top Fuel Dragster team look towards winning at the NHRA Arizona Nationals this weekend.
McClenathan and the FRAM team are more than encouraged by their semifinal finish after qualifying No. 1 in Pomona. They're hungry for that first victory of the year and, if it comes at Firebird Int'l Raceway this weekend, it will mark McClenathan's third at this event, following his triumphs in 1994 and 1998.
"I think every single race we go to we have the opportunity to win that race," said McClenathan, who was also runner-up here in 1996 and No. 1 qualifier in 1993 and 1994. "It's kind of a 'home track' for me, like Pomona is. I've lived in Orange County in California and I've lived in Lake Havasu in Arizona for a lot of years. It definitely would be a great place to earn a win. We'll have a lot of friends here, and a lot of people from the past.
"And I think we have one of the best race cars out here right now, and the most consistent. I look forward to getting on the track, qualifying well and trying to win here again and make the FRAM car look as good as it did in Pomona.” McClenathan established his career-best speed racing to 1000 feet in Pomona: 320.05 mph.
"When you go to every single race and you think you're going to win no matter what and end up losing in the semis like we did in Pomona," added McClenathan, "it's disappointing. But it was a good straight-up race and Doug (Kalitta) won that round. The team and I just need to try to dig down deeper. It seems like you have to run low ET of every session now to be able to put it in the winner's circle. If that’s what we have to do, that's what we're going to do.”
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in 2010 point standings, after semifinal finish in first season event
* Two-time winner in Phoenix: in 1994 and 1998; runner-up in 1996
* Low qualifier in Phoenix in 1993 and 1994
* Qualified No. 9 in Phoenix in 2009, lost first round to Doug Kalitta
* 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. 5 in 2009 "regular season" Top Fuel point 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
* Has 31 career Top Fuel victories in 57 final rounds
* Career-best elapsed time to 1000 feet: 3.784 seconds (Richmond '09)
* Career-best speed to 1000 feet: 320.05 mph (Pomona 1 '10)
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Has recorded 469 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 34 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 and 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); engaged to Debi
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2010 is fifth season with sponsorship from FRAM
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Feb. 19 – FULL THROTTLE SERIES QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, Feb. 20 – FULL THROTTLE SERIES QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
SUNDAY, Feb. 21 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Feb. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 2 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Feb. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11a.m. (ET)
Sunday, Feb. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Feb. 19, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 24K (12180 MHz, vertical) (Analog feed)
Saturday, Feb. 20, 9:30 - 10.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 24K (12180 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, Feb. 21, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 24K (12180 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
McClenathan and the FRAM team are more than encouraged by their semifinal finish after qualifying No. 1 in Pomona. They're hungry for that first victory of the year and, if it comes at Firebird Int'l Raceway this weekend, it will mark McClenathan's third at this event, following his triumphs in 1994 and 1998.
"I think every single race we go to we have the opportunity to win that race," said McClenathan, who was also runner-up here in 1996 and No. 1 qualifier in 1993 and 1994. "It's kind of a 'home track' for me, like Pomona is. I've lived in Orange County in California and I've lived in Lake Havasu in Arizona for a lot of years. It definitely would be a great place to earn a win. We'll have a lot of friends here, and a lot of people from the past.
"And I think we have one of the best race cars out here right now, and the most consistent. I look forward to getting on the track, qualifying well and trying to win here again and make the FRAM car look as good as it did in Pomona.” McClenathan established his career-best speed racing to 1000 feet in Pomona: 320.05 mph.
"When you go to every single race and you think you're going to win no matter what and end up losing in the semis like we did in Pomona," added McClenathan, "it's disappointing. But it was a good straight-up race and Doug (Kalitta) won that round. The team and I just need to try to dig down deeper. It seems like you have to run low ET of every session now to be able to put it in the winner's circle. If that’s what we have to do, that's what we're going to do.”
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in 2010 point standings, after semifinal finish in first season event
* Two-time winner in Phoenix: in 1994 and 1998; runner-up in 1996
* Low qualifier in Phoenix in 1993 and 1994
* Qualified No. 9 in Phoenix in 2009, lost first round to Doug Kalitta
* 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. 5 in 2009 "regular season" Top Fuel point 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
* Has 31 career Top Fuel victories in 57 final rounds
* Career-best elapsed time to 1000 feet: 3.784 seconds (Richmond '09)
* Career-best speed to 1000 feet: 320.05 mph (Pomona 1 '10)
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Has recorded 469 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 34 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 and 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); engaged to Debi
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2010 is fifth season with sponsorship from FRAM
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Feb. 19 – FULL THROTTLE SERIES QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, Feb. 20 – FULL THROTTLE SERIES QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
SUNDAY, Feb. 21 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Feb. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 2 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Feb. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11a.m. (ET)
Sunday, Feb. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Feb. 19, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 24K (12180 MHz, vertical) (Analog feed)
Saturday, Feb. 20, 9:30 - 10.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 24K (12180 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, Feb. 21, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 24K (12180 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
