Sonoma: Cory McClenathan Friday notes

Curfew Prevents Cory Mac from Second Friday Run
FRAM Top Fuel Dragster 12th after First Day

SONOMA, Calif., July 27, 2007 -- Cory McClenathan and the FRAM Top Fuel team were a little steamed at not being able to make their final Friday qualifying run for Sunday's FRAM Autolite Nationals due to a 10 p.m. curfew at Infineon Raceway.

Several Top Fuel cars oiled track in the good racing conditions and it prolonged the session. The top 10 qualifiers from the first attempt did not get to make runs. But the times from those cars that did make runs did count.

McClenathan, with former assistant crew chief Tony Shortall and consultant Rahn Tobler doing the tuning for the first time, turned in a solid, 4.668-second, 320.14-mph run in the first round and was seventh. He wound up 12th when the night's activities ended.

"It was good we got off to a good start," said McClenathan, "but not making that run puts us in a horrible position for Saturday. This is our sponsor's race we didn't have the opportunity to race in the best session."

The team does have two qualifying sessions Saturday, but neither is expected to be run in the nearly-perfect conditions of Friday night.

-credit: sgm