McClenathan exits early in Seattle

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2209 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 14 of 24
NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Wash.
July 17-19, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

MCCLENATHAN EXITS EARLY IN SEATTLE

KENT, Wash. (July 19, 2009) - Cory McClenathan made a surprise early exit
today at the NHRA Northwest Nationals by bowing out to Troy Buff in the
opening round of Sunday's Top Fuel eliminations.

After qualifying the FRAM Tough Guard Top Fuel dragster in the No. 4 spot,
McClenathan's match-up against No. 13 qualifier Buff resulted in an upset,
as Buff outran McClenathan's excellent 3.929-second pass at 304.46 mph with
a quicker 3.921/298.54. Margin of victory: seven feet.

"It's one of those things," said McClenathan, who dropped to sixth in the
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings. "We knew
they would get down the track, but we didn't think that they would run
better than we did.

"We have no racing luck whatsoever. The FRAM Tough Guard car goes from A to
B all the time and it runs good and qualifies well. We just don't have
anything going on our side.

"Maybe it's all supposed to happen next week at the FRAM-Autolite Nationals
in Sonoma, Calif.

"So, we'll just pack it up and go on. The FRAM guys are doing a great job. I
have to smile because there's no reason to be down. We have a good race car
and good race cars end up in the winner's circle. We just have to find out
which race it's going to be."

Next up is the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma,
Calif., July 24-26.

UNOFFICIAL TOP FUEL POINTS LEAD, after 14 of 24 events:
1. Antron Brown, 1168 (winner today)
2. Tony Schumacher, 1031 (runner-up today)
3. Larry Dixon, 998
4. Brandon Bernstein, 913
5. Spencer Massey, 819
6. Cory McClenathan, 814
7. Shawn Langdon, 773
8. Morgan Lucas, 773
9. Doug Kalitta, 666
10. Clay Millican, 567

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