BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 26, 2010) - Cory McClenathan and the FRAM Top Fuel dragster team have been heating up the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series tracks this season, winning twice in three final rounds so far, and trailing leader Larry Dixon by just one point after six events. The battle for his first championship in his 20th season continues at this weekend's 14th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., just outside of St. Louis.
"We've done fairly well in St. Louis before," said McClenathan, who was runner-up there in 2007. "We've never won in St. Louis, but at the same time we go into every weekend with the same philosophy: go in and try to qualify well, go some rounds on Sunday and continue to accumulate points.
"That's worked out pretty well for us. It's like the FRAM guys and I have told each other, ‘Don't lose sight of what we're trying to do here.’ Obviously, we have some very capable crew guys and crew chiefs (Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler) on the FRAM team, and nobody has a chip on his shoulder. We have some very level-headed guys working on this thing.
"It's been a lot of fun for me this year," added McClenathan, who's enjoyed racing probably the most consistent race car in the category. "I would obviously love to do great in St. Louis. We've done everything from night racing there, racing during the day, and the weather has always been challenging. Obviously that has a lot to do with how the cars run.
"This will be a different time of year, so we're probably going to hit it at a pretty good weather stage. I'm looking forward to it."
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 2 in 2010 point standings, after two semifinal finishes and two victories (in three final rounds) in the first six races; one point out of lead (Larry Dixon)
* Is the 2007 St. Louis runner-up (Brandon Bernstein)
* Qualified No. 2 in 2009 St. Louis; lost second round to Antron Brown
* 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
* Has two No. 1 qualifiers so far in 2010
* 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 33 career Top Fuel victories in 60 final rounds
* Career-best elapsed time to 1000 feet: 3.784 seconds (Richmond '09)
* Career-best speed to 1000 feet: 322.50 mph (Gainesville 2010)
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Has recorded 482 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 35 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 47 (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:
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 3:15 PM.
Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster) 4:00 PM.
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 5:45 PM.
Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster) 6:30 PM.
SATURDAY:
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 11:30 AM.
Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car) 12:30 PM.
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 2:00 PM
Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car) 3:00 PM
SUNDAY:
Pre-Race Ceremonies 10:00 AM; Final Eliminations 11:00 AM.
TELEVISION:
5/01/2010 Qualifying - 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM ET/6:00 PM - 8:00 PM PT (ESPN2).
5/02/2010 Eliminations - 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET/4:00 PM - 7:00 PM PT (ESPN2).
5/05/2010 Repeat Eliminations - 3:00 AM - 5:00 AM ET/12:00 AM - 2:00 AM PT (ESPN2).
