McClenathan's Memphis Monday ends in quarterfinals

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 3 of six in Countdown to 1 Playoffs
Round 21 of 24 for season
NHRA MID-SOUTH NATIONALS
Memphis Motorsports Park
Oct. 2-4, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net
 
MCCLENATHAN'S MEMPHIS MONDAY ENDS IN QUARTERFINALS

MEMPHIS (Oct. 5, 2009) - Following a delay of on-track activities today
because of moisture after a rain-out on Sunday, No. 4 qualifier Cory
McClenathan's Monday at the NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports
Park ended in the quarterfinal round, when he was defeated by Steve
Torrence.

In the opening Top Fuel stanza, McClenathan disposed of TJ Zizzo with a
solid 3.927-second pass at 314.61 mph, then met up with Torrence in the
quarterfinal, without lane choice. After the launch at the starting lights,
Torrence sailed to the finish line to a 3.888/305.77 pass, as the FRAM Tough
Guard dragster lit on fire while posting a losing 4.190/211.89 run.

"We don't know what happened," said a surprised McClenathan, who held on to
third in the Countdown to 1 playoffs standings. "We'll have to take it apart
to see. It just literally blew up and caught on fire. I have no idea. It
didn't indicate anything to me, nothing, so it could be a parts failure, a
ton of things.

"That was our time to capitalize on the opportunity and we let it get by us.
We'll just have to find out what happened and see if we can't stop that from
happening again. It just burns up too much equipment."

Next up is the Fourth Annual NHRA Virginia Nationals in Richmond, Va., Oct.
9-11.

UNOFFICIAL TOP FUEL POINT STANDINGS, after three of six Countdown to 1
playoffs events:
1. Tony Schumacher, 2369 (runner-up today)
2. Larry Dixon, 2315
3. Cory McClenathan, 2276
4. Antron Brown, 2249
5. Shawn Langdon, 2221
6. Morgan Lucas, 2236 (winner today)
7. Brandon Bernstein, 2191
8. Spencer Massey, 2186
9. Doug Kalitta, 2146
10. Clay Millican, 2093

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