After a long Sunday when the finals were postponed until Monday, Cory McClenathan and the FRAM Top Fuel Dragster team endured another long, rainy day in the so-called Valley of the Sun. It was worth the wait, however, as McClenathan grabbed his first victory of the season, the 32nd of his career in 58 final rounds, and the third at this event.
McClenathan, whose hot rod has been the class of the field in these first two events of the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, defeated Doug Kalitta in the final round, almost matching his quickest of the day overall on Sunday of 3.812/311.70, by posting a 3.813/316.67 to Kalitta’s tire-smoking 4.730/219.47.
“It was a strange weekend and obviously a lot of things happening, especially with the rain delays,” said McClenathan, who took over the points lead with his victory. “It probably rained three different times today, so it was crazy. But, at the same time, it feels good to out and win right now and get a little bit of a head start on this year.
“It really was terrific to go out and run a 3.81 at 316 mph on what was a very green race track today after the rain. The consistency we’ve shown both days in these conditions just tells you how good this race car is right now. (Co-crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Phil (Shuler) and the guys did a great job with the FRAM dragster. Obviously all the guys prepared the car well, kept it safe and all in one piece and kept it going down the track every single time. Right now it’s just a bracket car.
“It feels good. It’s nice to be leading the points right now and have a good race car underneath me and going into the third race of the season having won one, so we have that monkey off our backs. Now we can go out and just try to go rounds. And that’s what it’s all about right now, is going rounds. I’m excited for the season, I really am.”
Next up is the 41st annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 13-15, 2010.
UNOFFICIAL TOP FUEL POINT STANDINGS, AFTER TWO EVENTS, as of 2/22/10, following today’s Phoenix race:
1. Cory McClenathan, 201 (winner today)
2. Doug Kalitta, 196 (runner-up today)
3. Larry Dixon, 161
4. Tony Schumacher, 139
5. Morgan Lucas, 108
6. Steve Torrence, 105
7. Troy Buff, 103
8. Shawn Langdon, 89
9. Antron Brown, 87
10 Brandon Bernsstein, 85
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