Carrier Boyz Racing: Prerace -- NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals

26TH ANNUAL NHRA MOPAR MILE-HIGH NATIONALS
BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY - DENVER
JULY 15-17, 2005

McClenathan hopes for turnaround in second half of season

MORRISON, Colo. (July 12, 2005) - The first half of the season did not 
yield the type of results that Cory McClenathan expected.  He hopes for 
a rebound as the second half gets underway at the 26th annual NHRA Mopar 
Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, near Denver, just north of 
the historic town of Morrison, Colo., this weekend.

"To say the Carrier boys and I are disappointed with our season thus far 
would be an understatement.  We are a lot better team than we showed in 
the first half of the season," said McClenathan, driver of the Carrier 
Boyz Racing FRAM AirHog Top Fuel dragster.

"We definitely have a lot more good cars out there this season than in 
the past few years.  That makes the competition tougher than it ever has 
been.  But the facts are that it's really no excuse as far as I'm 
concerned for the performance of our FRAM AirHog Top Fuel dragster.

 "We have to find a way to get out of our slump.  This is not an easy 
sport or everybody would be doing it and be successful at it.  Everybody 
on this team works hard and nobody here wants to lose.  Todd Smith (crew 
chief) and Bob Bauer (clutch specialist) have their work cut out for 
them starting this weekend in Denver.

"We have to step our performance up a couple notches this second half to 
be satisfied with our overall season.  The string of first round losses 
we have experienced this season cannot carryover to the last half of the 
season.  We must get from A to B consistently while improving the 
performance of our FRAM AirHog dragster.  We have to go rounds to have a 
chance at running with the leaders."

The Mopar Mile-High Nationals leads off the first of three consecutive 
events - Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif. - on three consecutive 
weekends, which among the drag racing community is known as the "Western 
Swing."

Historically, McClenathan has done well on the Western Swing and at 
Bandimere Speedway.  In 12 previous events here, he has two wins, a 
runner-up and has advanced to the semifinals three other times.  He 
defeated Tony Schumacher in 1997 and followed that up with a win over 
Joe Amato the following year.  In 2002, he was runner-up to Darrell Russell.

McClenathan's very first win in NHRA came at Bandimere Speedway.  In his 
first national event race as a sportsman driver in Top Alcohol Dragster, 
McClenathan defeated the late Blaine Johnson in 1989.

"You can't go by the books at Denver," reflected McClenathan.  "We have 
some rule adjustments - percent of nitro and blower overdrive - in place 
for Denver.  I'm not exactly sure how it will affect our car this race.  
We've got to find a way to chase the conditions and the track at 
Bandimere.  The altitude thing is tricky and the weather will be very hot.

"The plus side is that I've done well at Denver and that makes me, as a 
driver, comfortable.  Hopefully, that will continue and we'll have a 
good weekend.  That would be just what we need right now."

In 1997, McClenathan made a clean sweep by winning all three races that 
make up the Western Swing.  Only four nitro drivers have accomplished 
that feat.  In addition to McClenathan, five-time Top Fuel champion Joe 
Amato turned the hat trick in 1991, 13-time Funny Car champ John Force 
in 1994 and two-time Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon added his name to the 
short list in 2003.
   
*QUALIFYING:* Qualifying gets underway for McClenathan and the Carrier 
Boyz Racing FRAM AirHog Dragster with two sessions on Friday, scheduled 
for 5 and 8 p.m. Qualifying concludes with two additional sessions on 
Saturday, at 3 and 6 p.m.  McClenathan begins his quest for the Top Fuel 
title on Sunday with eliminations for all classes getting underway at 12 
noon.  *All times are local Denver times -- Mountain Time (MT): 2 hours 
behind the Eastern Time zone -- and subject to change at anytime.*  

*TELEVISION:* Qualifying highlights for the 26th annual NHRA Mopar 
Mile-High Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 on Saturday evening (July 16) 
from 8-10 p.m.  The qualifying show repeats on early Sunday morning 
(July 17) from 3-5 a.m.  ESPN2 will also air three hours of same-day 
television coverage of eliminations beginning at 9 p.m. on Sunday 
evening (July 17).  The elimination show repeats on the "Deuce" early 
Monday morning, July 18, from 2:30 until 4:30 a.m.  Also, tune in to 
NHRA2Day on ESPN2, the weekly show that gives you the latest information 
about the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.  NHRA2Day can be seen on 
Sunday, July 17 at 11:30 a.m.   *Television times are Eastern Time (ET) 
and subject to change at anytime.  Check local listings.*
   
Headquartered in Danbury, Conn., *FRAM®,* the official filter of the 
NHRA®, is a unit of *Honeywell Consumer Products Group*, which 
manufactures and markets the *FRAM AirHog^(TM)* air filter and other 
quality FRAM automotive filters.  The Honeywell Consumer Products Group 
also includes *Prestone®* antifreeze/coolant and car care products, 
*Autolite®* spark plugs and ignition wire sets and *Holts®* car care 
products. *For additional information visit the following websites: FRAM 
at www.fram.com and FRAM AirHog at www.framairhog.com or call 
1-800-862-7737.*
    
For 2005, *Carrier Boyz Racing *and primary marketing partners *FRAM and 
Honeywell* welcome the support of our associate marketing partners: 
*American Racing Wheels, Autolite Spark Plugs, Bendix, Fabtech, GMC, Mac 
Tools, Prestone, PurePower Lubricants and Torco Racing Fuels and Gear.* 
*Visit our website at www.carrierboyzracing.com for the most current 
team news, race results and team merchandise. *