McClenathan snares No. 3 in Sonoma qualifying

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 15 of 24
FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals
Infineon Raceway
Sonoma, Calif.
July 24-26, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

McCLENATHAN SNARES NO. 3 IN SONOMA QUALIFYING

SONOMA, Calif. (July 25, 2009) - Cory McClenathan snared the No. 3 position
in qualifying for the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway,
posting a 3.831-second pass at 314.68 mph in Friday night's cool, almost
cold, second session.

Earlier that day he recorded a 3.947/298.73, grabbing No. 3 right out of the
box, which was followed today by a 4.002/286.98 lap, in which the car caught
fire. After an engine change and major repairs were effected on the FRAM
Tough Guard Top Fuel Dragster, "Cory Mac" returned for the final session to
produce a tire-smoking 4.476/176.63.

"It dropped an exhaust valve, and that's what started the fire and the whole
mess," said McClenathan. "The FRAM Tough Guard team and crew chiefs Todd
Okuhara and Phil Shuler put a fresh motor in and they put in our baseline
tune-up and it kind of responded the same, so we'll see what conditions will
bring tomorrow.

"Yes, it smoked the tires in that last pass, but we were pushing pretty
hard. We're very happy with the way the FRAM Tough Guard car is performing
here at our sponsor's event, and we're expecting a dynamite first-round
match-up against Terry Haddock on Sunday."

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