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YANKEES DOODLING . . .
The pinstripes remain painted on the Top Fuel Dragster,
along with the distinctive N.Y. logo that belongs to the New York Yankees.
But the "Yankees" script is gone from the "Yankee Dragster."
The Steinbrenner family has chosen to participate with
Darrell Gwynn Racing strictly as a sponsor -- one of several. Jerry
Gwynn said Hank Steinbrenner, his family's point man on the blockbuster
baseball-drag racing deal, said to "take the 'Yankees' off and sell
that spot."
The team name has reverted back to "Darrell Gwynn Racing"
after being known as "Gwynn/Steinbrenner Racing" since the union was
announced at the 2000 U.S. Nationals.
Jerry Gwynn said at Las Vegas the Steinbrenners are happy
with their involvement in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The
association is in the second season of a three-year deal, and Gwynn
said, "I would think they'd renew it . . . but that's a year and a half
from now."
Parsons Motorsports and the snack-food brand Munchables
are associate sponsors. -- Susan Wade
CORY MAC WORKING HIS WAY BACK
When Cory McClenathan took his Henkelman & Baca Motorsports
Top Fuel Dragster to the final round against Larry Dixon, it was his
first final round appearance since October 2000. Cory Mac sat out all
but one race in 2001 due to lack of a ride or sponsorship. Both drivers
left together, but Dixon started opening a slight lead as McClenathan
dropped a cylinder.
After the final round, McClenathan reflected on his semifinal
and final round, "I'm ecstatic that we got to the final round. The semifinal
win against (Kenny) Bernstein was big for me. He's been beating up on
us all this year in the semifinals. We finally got to beat the big,
bad red car. That feels good. Bernstein, he's a class act. Although
he doesn't like to lose, he was happy for me. He just told me to beat
that blue beer car in the finals.
"We just didn't have enough muscle for that blue beer
car. We dropped a cylinder out there. . . . It wasn't meant to be."
-- Mickey Schultz (photo by Zak Hawthorne)
BERNSTEIN BUMMED?
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| Things didn't go the way Kenny Bernstein would
have liked. With 18 more events in his last season, he left Las
Vegas 147 points behind Top Fuel leader Larry Dixon. (photo by Zak
Hawthorne) |
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