McClenathan Approaches Record

Cory McClenathan recorded the second-fastest time in drag racing history Saturday during qualifying for the Pennzoil Nationals at Millington, Tenn.

McClenathan’s time of 318.58 mph in the Joe Gibbs-owned McDonald’s dragster is second to Kenny Bernstein’s 318.69 recorded last fall at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.

McClenathan also claimed the No. 1 spot in top fuel qualifying, covering the quarter-mile distance in 4.596 seconds, a track record at Memphis Motorsports Park.

In fact, every track record in the four professional categories was eclipsed during qualifying for today’s finals of the $1,476,850 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series event. Other leaders with record performances were Randy Anderson in funny cars, Kurt Johnson in pro stock and Angelle Seeling in pro stock motorcycles.

Anderson set the funny car pace with a 4.966 at 310.88, in the Parts America Pontiac.

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Jimmy Spencer fended off Mark Martin’s bid for a record victory in the All Pro Bumper-To-Bumper 300 Busch Grand National stock car race at Concord, N.C.

Martin caught Spencer for the final time 21 laps from the end of the 200-lap event at Charlotte Motor Speedway for a .231-second victory.

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Former champion Geoff Bodine, having earned his first pole position in more than three years, heads the field for today’s NASCAR Winston Cup UAW-GM Quality 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.

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Dave Rezendes, without a driving job since late August, won his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pole in a Tom Gloy-owned Ford with a record-breaking qualifying lap of 91.026 mph at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

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Reigning MBNA Superbike Series Champion Doug Chandler took the pole at the Nevada Classic at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a new motorcycle-track record on the 2.5-mile road course at 91.965 mph on a Kawasaki.