Brainerd: Cory McClenathan Friday notes

McClenathan 15th in First Outing with New Car

FRAM Top Fuel Dragster Runs 4.805 Seconds on Tricky BIR Track

BRAINERD, Minn., Aug. 10, 2007 -- It wasn't the way he wanted things to go, but Cory McClenathan wound up 15th after Friday's opening qualifying rounds for Sunday's Lucas Oil Nationals on a tricky, slick Brainerd International Raceway racing surface.

The new team -- announced 10 days ago -- "shows promise, but we hurt motors on each run," McClenathan said. "We had the quickest 60-foot time and all our (incremental computer) numbers were good early in the runs. We did have two oil downs, which is not the way I envisioned it, but the car was trying to run good. We are lucky to be in the show right now.

"Keith (Adams, new team crew chief) and Tony Shortall (assistant crew chief) did a good job for our first time out. Now we need to work on the tune-up in the middle (of the run) and down track. The track was hot -- 135 degrees -- and that hurt us, too."

McClenathan has two more qualifying attempts Saturday to improve his position in the starting 16.

-credit: sgr