Could Cory McClenathan soon get an upgrade? He's apparently made it clear to Don Schumacher that he wants to.

McClenathan has lobbied Schumacher to be more than just a leaser at Don Schumacher Racing. The veteran Top Fuel driver said he’s got a two year contract on the table to drive for DSR with the blessings and monetary support from Fram and its related companies.
 
“Basically, what's going to happen is we're going to move the Fram deal all the way into their deal and have two dragsters,” said McClenathan. “Our sponsors have been great and understanding considering all of the problems that we’ve had with different owners and changing teams. It’s nice to have control of your destiny and I still want to make that control good. 

Could Cory McClenathan soon get an upgrade? He's apparently made it clear to Don Schumacher that he wants to.

McClenathan has lobbied Schumacher to be more than just a leaser at Don Schumacher Racing. The veteran Top Fuel driver said he’s got a two year contract on the table to drive for DSR with the blessings and monetary support from Fram and its related companies.
 
“Basically, what's going to happen is we're going to move the Fram deal all the way into their deal and have two dragsters,” said McClenathan. “Our sponsors have been great and understanding considering all of the problems that we’ve had with different owners and changing teams. It’s nice to have control of your destiny and I still want to make that control good.
 
“I want the car to be more consistent and run better but there are only a few ways to do that and that's to get in good with other people and make sure you have the same part so we're trying to do that in branches of this car.”
 
McClenathan said this plan would make him an official teammate to Tony Schumacher.
 
“I think more or less I'd be more like a teammate,” McClenathan said. “If you have a teammate you gather more information on every single run you make and that's the thing that you see with Kalitta and Schumacher, those guys can all feed off of each other.  There are a bunch of great drivers over there at DSR and I'm friends with every one of them. I'm looking forward to 2008 and driving with them.”
 
If this deal comes to fruition, the sharing of information will be the largest asset for McClenathan and his team. He’s been largely a lone wolf since leaving the Scott Griffin umbrella in July to lease an operation from DSR.
 
“It's funny because at almost every event we've at least gone by first round which nowadays is tough to do,” McClenathan said. “It’s just as tough to make the field. I think sharing information is what I'm looking at more so than anything else.  Let's get to where we can share information and we can make more runs, better qualifying runs, more top qualifying efforts in the field so that you don't have to go up against Schumacher or Larry Dixon right away.”
 
Nearly three months have passed since McClenathan’s non-amicable departure from Scott Griffin Motorsports, who purchased the operation from the Carrier brothers, Mark and Andy. He’s spent much of the time putting the fires out. 
 
“Everything seems to be quiet,” McClenathan said. “I don't hear from anybody over there.  I'm still friends with Mark and Andy Carrier and there are no problems there whatsoever.  Don't really care about Scott Griffin anyway to be honest with you.”