McClenathan is runner-up at FRAM-Autolite Nationals

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 IS RUNNER-UP AT FRAM-AUTOLITE NATIONALS

SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2009) - Driving the FRAM Tough Guard Top Fuel
dragster at his sponsor's event, the FRAM-Autolite Nationals, Cory
McClenathan reached his third final round of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series, his third at Infineon Raceway and the 56th of his
career.

On his winning path to the finals (the 251st final round for Don Schumacher
Racing teams since 1998), McClenathan first defeated Terry Haddock in the
opening round of eliminations with a 3.831-second pass at 314.68 mph, then
dismissed Clay Millican with a 4.323/233.96 in a pedalfest between the two,
which "Cory Mac" won.

His semifinal round match-up against Mike Strasburg was without lane choice,
but McClenathan was back to form, as he claimed the victory with a
3.972/298.07 pass, launching him into the final round against points leader
Antron Brown.

It was a close race to the end, but it was Brown first across the finish
stripe with a 3.990/299.06 pass to McClenathan's 4.002/290.82. Margin of
victory: 14 feet.

McClenathan held on to fifth place in the point standings.

³These FRAM Tough Guard guys did a great job," said McClenathan. "It¹s just
one of those things where you have to wait for it to come to you. It¹s
finally now coming to us where we¹re starting to see that the car is
responding to what they¹re doing, and the driver¹s starting to do his job a
little bit better.
 
³You can only hope to do this at your own sponsor¹s race, but you want to
win it, too.

"I tell you, Antron and those guys did a great job. He swept the Western
Swing, so he¹s done something only seven other drivers have done ever, and
that¹s a big deal.
 
³Everything was good until the end," he added. "It dropped a cylinder out
there, they¹re telling me. And that probably cost us some room. It ran about
11 mph short of what it normally does run, at least nine that I know of.
They kept it on all 8s (cylinders) all the way down.
 
³I am so proud of (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Phil (Shuler) and the
FRAM Tough Guard guys. I really am. It¹s almost like winning because now
we¹re finally starting to put it together and the timing is right for us.²

Next up is the NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 14-16.

UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS, after 15 of 24 events:
1. X Antron Brown, 1283 (winner today)
2. X Tony Schumacher, 1084
3. X Larry Dixon, 1035
4. X Brandon Bernstein, 945
5. Cory McClenathan, 910 (runner-up today)
6. Spencer Massey, 853
7. Morgan Lucas, 826
8. Shawn Langdon, 807
9. Doug Kalitta, 698
10. Clay Millican, 619

X - clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 playoffs

***