TWO TF CARS, A DRIVER AND A LAWSUIT?
Thu, 2007-08-09 18:54
A controversy is brewing that could come to a head during this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Last week Cory McClenathan announced that he was leaving Scott Griffin Motorsports and forming his own team with an operation leased from Don Schumacher Racing. McClenathan also brought backing from FRAM/Autolite, as well as sponsorship from key associates carried over from the Carrier Boyz Racing days.
Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned through sources that Griffin was unhappy with McClenathan’s move, considering that when he purchased the Carrier Boyz operation it was with key sponsor and driver contracts in place at least through 2008. McClenathan balked at that, citing that he could not be sold as an asset. Soon afterwards he set the wheels in motion to leave Griffin and go out on his own.
Griffin’s rig pulled through the gates of Brainerd International Raceway this morning, and while there is no problem with that, already parked in the pits is a refrigerator-white race rig emblazoned with the DSR logo. The rig, and the equipment contained therein, is the basis of McClenathan’s new operation. A controversy is brewing that could come to a head during this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Last week Cory McClenathan announced that he was leaving Scott Griffin Motorsports and forming his own team with an operation leased from Don Schumacher Racing. McClenathan also brought backing from FRAM/Autolite, as well as sponsorship from key associates carried over from the Carrier Boyz Racing days.
Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned through sources that Griffin was unhappy with McClenathan’s move, considering that when he purchased the Carrier Boyz operation it was with key sponsor and driver contracts in place at least through 2008. McClenathan balked at that, citing that he could not be sold as an asset. Soon afterwards he set the wheels in motion to leave Griffin and go out on his own.
Griffin’s rig pulled through the gates of Brainerd International Raceway this morning, and while there is no problem with that, already parked in the pits is a refrigerator-white race rig emblazoned with the DSR logo. The rig, and the equipment contained therein, is the basis of McClenathan’s new operation.
Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned that Steve Torrence is scheduled to drive Griffin’s dragster this weekend, although an official announcement has yet to be made.
Griffin was contacted for a comment, but the team owner declined on the advice of legal counsel.
McClenathan said that he wished the situation could have been handled in a more cordial manner, but Griffin’s actions have forced him into a not-so-amicable situation.
“I was trying to do things amicably by helping Scott wherever I could,” McClenathan said. “Obviously that hasn’t worked out too well. In this situation, I have Fram’s back, not Scott Griffin’s. I am going to take care of my sponsors. They come first.
“Scott Griffin has not done me any justice in any way shape or form in this. I am looking out for Fram.”
McClenathan said it was a key meeting between Fram management, himself, and Griffin that influenced his decision to branch out on his own, bringing with him the sponsors of the team.
“When Scott first took ownership, they had a meeting and they decided – with me in the room – they would keep going for the rest of the season and give Scott a chance to make up for things that had happened in the past,” McClenathan said. “The bills were piling up from vendors and this is such a small community that you can’t do those kinds of things.
“I, in the same realm, gave Scott a chance. Just like them, I felt Scott was the part owner with Mark and Andy Carrier. When it came down to it, the paperwork that we finally received said that Scott bought the team back in January and not May 1.”
McClenathan said he witnessed three different dates of purchase on the contract.
“There has been a lot of uncertainty and mistrust,” McClenathan said. “People were just not above the board on this whole deal. That created mistrust with people out here, including me.
“I was all willing to give a second chance in May to run the team and make sure the sponsors were happy. When it came down to it, things were not getting done as they should. I was getting calls from vendors and as a driver, that’s not conducive for me to go out and do my job. There have been times in the past where I was promised $75K to drive Scott’s car on the IHRA side and then got bumped out by Scott Weis. Then the thing never happened. There have been too many things I’ve let go under the bridge.
“I let the money go and even though it was a verbal commitment, accountable in a court of law. I never asked for it or do anything about it. I never did anything about it.”
McClenathan said that Fram was through when they got to Sonoma.
“Scott basically gave Fram the ultimatum to let him know if things were going to happen long term,” McClenathan said. “The folks at Fram in the meeting, we were all there, said that they couldn’t commit long term. They told him they had a lot of offers and they could help him make it through the season or he could park the operation and sell the stuff while it still had value.
“Scott admitted that he didn’t have the money to run the car the way it needed to be run – in championship form – with the good parts and pieces. He was not able to give the committal should any safety issue come up and we know how I am about safety. If it doesn’t have the good pieces and parts, I am not going to drive it. That’s just the way it is for me. We’ve all seen what can happen i.e. Bristol last year.
“Being in the sport as long as I have, I watched Scott given the chance to go ahead and he chose not to go any farther with it. Fram decided to go in a different direction. Scott’s biggest issue was will I have a job. They had some offers from other teams and some directions they could have gone that I would have had a job.
“Thank God that Fram chose the way to go that kept me with a job. That’s the story of why I left. Plus, they tried to sell me as an asset and I am not an asset. Slavery was abolished a long time ago. I’m not a racehorse or any animal. I’m not a part of a race car. I am a human being.
“I think at the time of the sale, my contract became null and void. I have to look out for FRAM, GMC, Prestone, Autolite, Lucas Oil, Jeg’s.com, Mac Tools, Bendix and Cleavite,” McClenathan said. “Those are the people I am looking out for, including myself.”
Last week Cory McClenathan announced that he was leaving Scott Griffin Motorsports and forming his own team with an operation leased from Don Schumacher Racing. McClenathan also brought backing from FRAM/Autolite, as well as sponsorship from key associates carried over from the Carrier Boyz Racing days.
Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned through sources that Griffin was unhappy with McClenathan’s move, considering that when he purchased the Carrier Boyz operation it was with key sponsor and driver contracts in place at least through 2008. McClenathan balked at that, citing that he could not be sold as an asset. Soon afterwards he set the wheels in motion to leave Griffin and go out on his own.
Griffin’s rig pulled through the gates of Brainerd International Raceway this morning, and while there is no problem with that, already parked in the pits is a refrigerator-white race rig emblazoned with the DSR logo. The rig, and the equipment contained therein, is the basis of McClenathan’s new operation. A controversy is brewing that could come to a head during this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Last week Cory McClenathan announced that he was leaving Scott Griffin Motorsports and forming his own team with an operation leased from Don Schumacher Racing. McClenathan also brought backing from FRAM/Autolite, as well as sponsorship from key associates carried over from the Carrier Boyz Racing days.
Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned through sources that Griffin was unhappy with McClenathan’s move, considering that when he purchased the Carrier Boyz operation it was with key sponsor and driver contracts in place at least through 2008. McClenathan balked at that, citing that he could not be sold as an asset. Soon afterwards he set the wheels in motion to leave Griffin and go out on his own.
Griffin’s rig pulled through the gates of Brainerd International Raceway this morning, and while there is no problem with that, already parked in the pits is a refrigerator-white race rig emblazoned with the DSR logo. The rig, and the equipment contained therein, is the basis of McClenathan’s new operation.
Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com has learned that Steve Torrence is scheduled to drive Griffin’s dragster this weekend, although an official announcement has yet to be made.
Griffin was contacted for a comment, but the team owner declined on the advice of legal counsel.
McClenathan said that he wished the situation could have been handled in a more cordial manner, but Griffin’s actions have forced him into a not-so-amicable situation.
“I was trying to do things amicably by helping Scott wherever I could,” McClenathan said. “Obviously that hasn’t worked out too well. In this situation, I have Fram’s back, not Scott Griffin’s. I am going to take care of my sponsors. They come first.
“Scott Griffin has not done me any justice in any way shape or form in this. I am looking out for Fram.”
McClenathan said it was a key meeting between Fram management, himself, and Griffin that influenced his decision to branch out on his own, bringing with him the sponsors of the team.
“When Scott first took ownership, they had a meeting and they decided – with me in the room – they would keep going for the rest of the season and give Scott a chance to make up for things that had happened in the past,” McClenathan said. “The bills were piling up from vendors and this is such a small community that you can’t do those kinds of things.
“I, in the same realm, gave Scott a chance. Just like them, I felt Scott was the part owner with Mark and Andy Carrier. When it came down to it, the paperwork that we finally received said that Scott bought the team back in January and not May 1.”
McClenathan said he witnessed three different dates of purchase on the contract.
“There has been a lot of uncertainty and mistrust,” McClenathan said. “People were just not above the board on this whole deal. That created mistrust with people out here, including me.
“I was all willing to give a second chance in May to run the team and make sure the sponsors were happy. When it came down to it, things were not getting done as they should. I was getting calls from vendors and as a driver, that’s not conducive for me to go out and do my job. There have been times in the past where I was promised $75K to drive Scott’s car on the IHRA side and then got bumped out by Scott Weis. Then the thing never happened. There have been too many things I’ve let go under the bridge.
“I let the money go and even though it was a verbal commitment, accountable in a court of law. I never asked for it or do anything about it. I never did anything about it.”
McClenathan said that Fram was through when they got to Sonoma.
“Scott basically gave Fram the ultimatum to let him know if things were going to happen long term,” McClenathan said. “The folks at Fram in the meeting, we were all there, said that they couldn’t commit long term. They told him they had a lot of offers and they could help him make it through the season or he could park the operation and sell the stuff while it still had value.
“Scott admitted that he didn’t have the money to run the car the way it needed to be run – in championship form – with the good parts and pieces. He was not able to give the committal should any safety issue come up and we know how I am about safety. If it doesn’t have the good pieces and parts, I am not going to drive it. That’s just the way it is for me. We’ve all seen what can happen i.e. Bristol last year.
“Being in the sport as long as I have, I watched Scott given the chance to go ahead and he chose not to go any farther with it. Fram decided to go in a different direction. Scott’s biggest issue was will I have a job. They had some offers from other teams and some directions they could have gone that I would have had a job.
“Thank God that Fram chose the way to go that kept me with a job. That’s the story of why I left. Plus, they tried to sell me as an asset and I am not an asset. Slavery was abolished a long time ago. I’m not a racehorse or any animal. I’m not a part of a race car. I am a human being.
“I think at the time of the sale, my contract became null and void. I have to look out for FRAM, GMC, Prestone, Autolite, Lucas Oil, Jeg’s.com, Mac Tools, Bendix and Cleavite,” McClenathan said. “Those are the people I am looking out for, including myself.”
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