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| | Tuesday, September 7 | |||||
| Final results
CLERMONT, Ind. -- Cory McClenathan took advantage of a day full of upsets to win the Top Fuel category Monday at the NHRA's U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
McClenathan claimed his second win of the season and moved into
seventh place in the Top Fuel standings, 62 points behind new
leader Tony Schumacher. The top 10 drivers in the standings are
separated by only 119 points.
Frank Pedregon, Warren Johnson, Matt Hines and Mike Coughlin
also won categories at the $2.6 million race, the 16th of 22 events
in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.
McClenathan, who advanced during eliminations when category
favorites Mike Dunn, Gary Scelzi and Joe Amato all lost in the
first round, claimed his second U.S. Nationals title, running 4.618
seconds at 308.14 mph.
The MBNA dragster driver defeated rookie and first-time finalist
Andrew Cowin, a 19-year-old Australian. Cowin, who has competed in
a limited number of NHRA national events this season, posted a
4.829 at 292.71 in his K&N Automotive dragster.
Pedregon and team owner Jim Dunn celebrated their first U.S.
Nationals win by defeating a host of favorites, including Winston
points leader John Force, before topping WWF Racing driver Jim
Epler in the final.
Pedregon drove his Penthouse Racing Pontiac Firebird to a 5.086
at 284.33, while Eplers Firebird slowed at the finish, running
8.027 at 101.78.
Johnson claimed his sixth U.S. Nationals Pro Stock victory and
78th of his career, defeating longtime crew member Greg Anderson in
the final.
Johnson covered the distance in 6.944 at 198.61 in his Superman
Racing Pontiac Firebird, while Anderson's Humphries Motorsports
Oldsmobile Cutlass had problems near mid-track and limped to the
finish.
Hines became $35,000 richer by sweeping the Pro Stock Motorcycle
category for the second straight year at Indy, adding a $10,000
double-up bonus to his pay day for winning the U.S. Nationals and
Friday's Holley Pro Stock Dominator Duel.
Hines used a hole shot start on his Superman Racing Suzuki to
hold off Team Winston's Angelle Seeling in the final round.
Hines ran 7.348 at 179.35 to earn his second win of the season
and defeat Seeling's quicker but losing 7.344 at 176.21.
Coughlin scored his second career Pro Stock Truck victory in his
Jegs Mail Order Chevrolet S-10. Coughlin posted a 7.649 at 175.07,
good enough to oust first-time finalist Scott Perin, who ran 7.668
at 174.96 in his NAPA Development S-10.
The next NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series event is the True Value
NHRA Keystone Nationals, Sept. 16-19, at Maple Grove Raceway,
Reading, Pa.
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