Spring Surprise

As the northern hemisphere moves into fall weather, in Australia it turns to spring and that means that the ANDRA Nationals at Sydney Dragway opens the new 2011/12 racing season. Following the toughest year ever, with nonstop rain down Australia’s east coast, everyone was hoping that the black clouds would be behind us and we’d see a return to great racing. Well they did in the end, but only three hours of rain-shortened racing was held on Friday and, while it didn’t start well, the race turned out to be a “pearler."

Words and photos by Jon Van Daal

After missing out on qualifying for Top Fuel at the US Nationals earlier the same week, Cory McClenathan (near lane) made it to the final of the ANDRA National’s Top Fuel bracket. There he faced Andrew Cowin and his younger foe gave him a surprise off the line, grabbing half a tenth on the green. Just past the tree, however Cowin’s car went into hard tyre shake and despite trying to peddle it his parachute fell out leaving McClenathan to streak to a win with a chute out early 5.66/263.28 being more than enough for a 9.83 from Cowin. “I really wanted to win this Christmas Tree for Santo”, Cory McClenathan revealed (for those our northern friends that don’t know, an ANDRA Xmas Tree is the equivalent of an NHRA Wally). ”To win one of these was a great way to thank him for giving me the drive. This was my fifth trip to Australia and it was great to come through for the win”, he added.

No one can question Cory McClenathan’s credentials, the 45 year old being one of the best drivers on the NHRA circuit with 2011 being his twentieth year behind the butterfly of a Top Fuel dragster. After being let go as a driver from Don Schumacher’s camp late last year Cory managed some seat time in Dexter Tuttle’s dragster before being picked up by Santo Rapisarda for both his fuel cars in America and Australia. “Not qualifying at the US Nationals was quite a big disappointment”, McClenathan revealed. “We put together a new DSR (Don Schumacher Racing) car for Santo, the same way that I successfully done before but in the end we just had a few small things go wrong and didn’t make the show. It is definitely a 3.8 second car (for the 1000 feet) but we were probably one run shy of getting in - new car blues if you like”.  Still he rebounded from the disappointment and took the gold in Top Fuel at Sydney Dragway.