Sonoma post race notes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: NHRA Communications (818) 914-4761

POST-RACE NOTES: AUTOLITE NATIONALS, JULY 25-27, SONOMA, CALIF.

TOP FUEL *Cory McClenathan has won two consecutive NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series national events i the McDonald's Dragster for the first time since spring 1995, when he won the Fram Nationals at Atlanta and the Mid-South Nationals at Memphis, Tenn.

*Eddie Hill was unhurt in a spectacular crash during qualifying. Hill lost control of the Pennzoil Dragster shortly after crossing the finish line during a run that gave him the No. 1 qualifying spot at 4.674 seconds, 310.88 mph. The car was destroyed, preventing Hill from racing during final eliminations. NHRA rules require that a driver must race in the same chassis for the entire event.

FUNNY CAR *Defending NHRA Winston champion John Force remains winless since capturing the first two races of the season in the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, but his lead remains sizable. Force has led by at least 150 points since the Lone Star Nationals in early May at Dallas, where he expanded the gap to 156.

*Four drivers have won two races this season: John Force, Randy Anderson, Whit Bazemore and Ron Capps. Last season, Force was the only driver to win two or more races, with 13 victories.

PRO STOCK *Jim Yates expanded his NHRA Winston points lead to 107 points -- his largest lead of the season -- over second-place Warren Johnson with his victory in the McDonald's Pontiac Firebird.

*Jim Yates qualified No. 1 in the McDonald's Pontiac Firebird for the sixth consecutive NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series national event. His streak started at the Mopar Parts Nationals in mid-May at Englishtown, N.J.

*Dester Cambron qualified for just the fourth time this season in the Cambron Racing Chevrolet Beretta and advanced to his first career final round. -30-

7/29/97-SC5-116