Cory McClenathan is ready for a strong run this weekend at the ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the penultimate event of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Third in the Countdown to 1 playoffs standings with two events remaining, the FRAM Tough Guard Top Fuel dragster driver is just 68 markers behind first-place Tony Schumacher and 21 back of second-place Larry Dixon. He is clearly still in the running in his bid to earn his first Top Fuel championship.
In this year’s Countdown to 1 playoffs, points are awarded to the top three in each of the four qualifying sessions in a weekend (three, two, one points, respectively), in addition to the regular qualifying points earned. Twenty points are available for each eliminations round win. Also added in this year’s playoffs is the opportunity to garner an additional 20 points for setting a national elapsed-time record racing to 1000 feet (with a one-percent backup).
“It’s funny. You can be so close to winning a championship, but it can also feel so far away,” said McClenathan, the 2008 Las Vegas1 titlist. “Three rounds of eliminations can feel like an eternity, but, at the same time, when one weekend goes your way it’s a whole different story.
“We’ve had a lot of success in the past in Vegas before (including a runner-up finish in 2002), but so has my teammate Tony Schumacher. I cannot discount his success at this track at all.
“I still feel like our chances are good. We’ll try to do the same thing we’ve always done: get in there, qualify well, and try to take the ladder one at a time on Sunday. We have to try to win every race we go to.
“It looks like there’s a pretty large car count for Vegas, so there may be some spoilers out there who could take out some of the guys to help us in the points. If not, we’re going to have to count on ourselves to do it.
“It’s down to these last two races, so we’ll have to make sure we make no mistakes and continue running as well as we have, if not better.
“It looks like the weather will cooperate, and the track is always good there. And I know (crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Phil (Shuler) have a good setup for the FRAM Tough Guard car.”
CORY MCCLENATHAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in Countdown to 1 playoffs standings with a victory in Concord, N.C., the opening round of the playoffs
* Just 68 points out of first place, 21 short of second
* Four final rounds so far in 2009 (one win)
* No. 5 in 2009 “regular season” Top Fuel point standings, with three runner-up, three semifinal, nine quarterfinal and three first-round finishes in first 18 events of season
* Qualified No. 5 in 2008 Las Vegas2, lost second round to Larry Dixon
* No. 3 in 2008 Top Fuel point standings, including one win in three final rounds, as well as eight semifinal, six quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes and two No. 1 qualifiers
* Has 31 career Top Fuel victories in 57 final rounds
* First driver to break the 320-mph barrier with 322.17-mph run in Dallas in 1997
* Has recorded 464 career round wins in Top Fuel
* Qualified No. 1 32 times, with a career-high seven times in 1993
* Recorded 400th round win in Top Fuel in Richmond 2007
* Has finished No. 2 in the standings four times (1992, 1995, 1997 and 1998)
* Finished No. 10 in rookie season in 1991; made first 4-second run
* Made NHRA history with first run in the 4.70s (4.799) at Reading in 1992
* Swept the three-race Western Swing in 1997 en route to four consecutive wins and career-high six victories in eight final rounds
* Won four of the first six races in 1998. Equaled career-best with six wins in eight finals
* Won the U.S. Nationals twice (1996, 1999)
* Missed four races in 1993 after crash in Rockingham and still finished sixth in the Top Fuel points
* Age 46 (January 30, 1963); born in Wichita, Kansas, now lives in Brownsburg, Ind.; daughter Courtney (10/25/90)
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008; 2009 is fourth season with sponsorship from FRAM
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