While Jack Beckman jumped about like the Mad Hatter, Cory McClenathan, fresh off a win over Doug Kalitta in the final round of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, grinned like a Cheshire Cat.

Admittedly having taken Kalitta too lightly in Pomona during a semi-final match-up, crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler were loading up for bear this time around.

“We are going to go down the track and we are going to do it fast,” was the message from Okuhara and Shuler, recalled McClenathan  as he discussed the win on WFORadio.com Tuesday night.

While Jack Beckman jumped about like the Mad Hatter, Cory McClenathan, fresh off a win over Doug Kalitta in the final round of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, grinned like a Cheshire Cat.

Admittedly having taken Kalitta too lightly in Pomona during a semi-final match-up, crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler were loading up for bear this time around.

“We are going to go down the track and we are going to do it fast,” was the message from Okuhara and Shuler, recalled McClenathan  as he discussed the win on WFORadio.com Tuesday night.

“Hold on, this is going to be close to low elapsed time.”

It isn't often his crew chiefs warn him, so when those words passed from their lips, McClenathan knew to cinch the belts tighter.

“I understood it clearly when he said it,” McClenathan added. “To go 3.81 at 317 miles per hour, that was a stout run.”

McClenathan’s victory over a tire-smoking Kalitta represented No. 32 in 58 career final round appearances and his third NHRA Arizona Nationals title.

“It was a strange weekend and obviously a lot of things happening, especially with the rain delays,” said McClenathan, who took over the points lead with his victory. “It probably rained three different times Monday, so it was crazy. But, at the same time, it feels good to out and win right now and get a little bit of a head start on this year.

As aggressive as his team was in the finals, McClenathan was most impressed by the consistency of his 8,000-horse dragster in arguably the toughest of tough conditions.

“The consistency we’ve shown both days in these conditions just tells you how good this race car is right now. Todd and Phil and the guys did a great job with the FRAM dragster. Obviously all the guys prepared the car well, kept it safe and all in one piece and kept it going down the track every single time. Right now it’s just a bracket car.

“It feels good. It’s nice to be leading the points right now and have a good race car underneath me and going into the third race of the season having won one, so we have that monkey off our backs. Now we can go out and just try to go rounds. And that’s what it’s all about right now, is going rounds. I’m excited for the season, I really am.”