There is something about Virginia Cory McClenathan loves and it would appear, something about Cory McClenathan which Virginia loves.

McClenathan drove the FRAM Top Fuel dragster to the provisional No. 1 position after two rounds of qualifying for the Virginia NHRA Nationals, earning three bonus points towards his quest for a first Top Fuel dragster championship. Point leader Tony Schumacher garnered a single point in two rounds of qualifying.

If McClenathan's time holds up through two more rounds of qualifying on Saturday, he will claim his second No. 1 of the season, 34th of his career. McClenathan was top qualifier at Bristol earlier this year.

There is something about Virginia Cory

McClenathan loves and it would appear, something about Cory McClenathan which Virginia loves.

McClenathan drove the FRAM Top Fuel dragster to the provisional No. 1 position after two rounds of qualifying for the Virginia NHRA Nationals, earning three bonus points towards his quest for a first Top Fuel dragster championship. Point leader Tony Schumacher garnered a single point in two rounds of qualifying.

If McClenathan's time holds up through two more rounds of qualifying on Saturday, he will claim his second No. 1 of the season, 34th of his career. McClenathan was top qualifier at Bristol earlier this year.

McClenathan and the FRAM team took advantage of nearly ideal conditions in the cooler second session to post a 3.815-second pass at 318.24 mph for top speed of the day. His first attempt produced a 3.898/308.38, good for No. 7 at the time.

"We need those three points," said McClenathan, who is third in the Countdown to 1 playoffs standings. “That's nice to see, but we're also looking at cooler conditions tomorrow. Even if we don’t have any - I hate to say it - rain whatsoever, then there are still opportunities to run quicker and obviously my teammate (No. 1 in points) Tony (Schumacher) will try to do so.

"We come here and for some reason we just happen to do well and it's good mojo,” added the winningest Top Fuel driver at Virginia Motorsports Park, with four victories. “That's a good thing."

McClenathan admits his 81 was a bit of a surprised.

“Lanny Miglizzi said 'this is probably the best we have seen this track in a lot of years', and when it got about half track I thought this is on a very good run. I thought 82, 82, right along with Tony. So, when they said 81 I was a little bit surprised. I'd say that would hold for tomorrow, but then again, if it gets cooler we are going to try to run a little bit quicker.”

The solid run by McClenathan is a tribute to the effort put out by his team in the four days between qualifying day and the Monday outing at Memphis Motorsports Park. McClenathan went out in a blazing fire last week, which at the team he characterized as “the hottest I have ever been in a Top Fueler”.

“They had to replace everything from the foot box all the way back. It burned everything,” said McClenathan. “Seatbelts, helmet, you name it we had to change it out. Air lines, everything that works the clutch, just one thing after another. Every fuel line on the motor. It took everything out this time.

“We have since vented the driver's compartment different, once again. I can feel more air coming through the car on the run, so it's back to what it felt like with the old car. Yes, it is the same car. We had a couple glitches starting it. Just, little tiny things that were nothing.”

McClenathan made sure to mention that the job of putting the car back together was led by his car chief.

Scotty Okuhara, Todd's brother, does a great job. He is the car chief. Probably the best car chief I have ever worked with.”

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