Long before Cory McClenathan discovered his passion for speed and began driving
the 300-plus-mph FRAM Top Fuel dragster for Don Schumacher Racing in the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series, his attention was drawn to the baseball diamond,
where, as a child, he spent much of his time enjoying one of this nation's
favorite pastimes.
He will get a chance to play the game he loved as a
Little Leaguer next Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the NHRA Softball Classic at
Arrowhead Credit Union Park in San Bernardino, Calif., prior to the weekend’s
NHRA Finals, with all proceeds to benefit DRAW (Drag Racing Association for
Women). He'll be part of Gary Scelzi's Superchargers team, which will face
Antron Brown's Burndown Bombers. Each team is made up of professional NHRA
racers.
"Growing up in La Habra, Calif., Little League baseball was my
favorite sport, by far," said McClenathan, who has 30 national-event victories
in 53 final rounds in his 17 seasons as a Top Fuel racer. "I was never into
pee-wee football or anything like that. I started off playing t-ball at a very
young age and continued on into Little League. I enjoyed it so much that I went
from playing to becoming an umpire at 15 before I stated racing. I was able to
be at the ball field and umpire games in addition to playing in them and I was
able to see both sides of the sport and I learned to respect how difficult an
umpire's job could be at times.
Kenny
Wendland