The Fram Top Fuel dragster team began the Chicago weekend struggling to get the car down the track. Round three was a struggle for me to keep the car in the groove as I “drifted and lifted” toward the left wall. The rain-threatened round four put the Fram dragster solidly into the field as we ran a 4.59 at 324 that put us at No. 8. By the end of the rain-plagued round, we were No. 9. I knew the Fram boys would get this car back in the groove...I just needed to keep it there!

Okay, how frustrated would you be if you made the fourth-quickest run with nearly dead-even reaction times (.090/.097) and still went out in the first round? I knew that you would understand. On the brighter side of the news, Schumacher Racing’s Gary Scelzi was able to defeat his former crew chief in their first-round match up. On the Top Fuel side of the DSR house, Tony Schumacher and Alan Johnson made it look easy and took home the Wally by defeating an up in smoke Rod Fuller in the final round. Good job guys!

Englishtown is one of the NHRA’s original seven national events and we are expecting a big turnout of VIPs that weekend. One of our VIPs will be Kelley O’Donnell, Director of Marketing for Global Coolants and CPG Motorsports. I wonder if she can get all of that on a nameplate?! With the busy schedule that she has to keep, it will be a special treat to see her there. Now that I have mentioned your name, you better be there Kelley!!

Tori and the gang are doing fine here at home and we are enjoying some time off before heading to Englishtown. I am in California visiting my dad for Father’s Day! I imagine that we are going to do some “guy things.” We’ll visit Home Depot, talk about racing, and check out his Fram Filter collection. I’m just kidding; I wanted to see if you were listening! All kidding aside, everybody take time out to tell your dads that you appreciate them. They are the ones who pick us up when we’re down, and occasionally kick us in the pants when we get too big for them, if you know what I mean! Nowadays, it is a manly thing to tell him that you love him too! Go ahead, tell him you love him, he will freak out!

To my Father, Richard McClenathan, I wish you the happiest Father’s Day ever. Now that I am older and wiser than I have ever been, I realize how right that you have been about a lot of things in life. I want you to know that If I could start all over and pick any dad that I wanted, I would pick you. I love you Dad. Happy Fathers Day.

I would also like to tell my crew how much I appreciate them. In fact I am going to tell you about them. There is so much to say about the guys who get the Fram dragster down the track every weekend that it all can’t possibly be told in one blog entry. So, in the interest of telling you more than just a quick note or two about the Fram boys, I am going to talk about a couple of the guys in each of the next few weeks. Don’t worry guys, this doesn’t count toward your fifteen minutes of fame!

Several years ago, in 1998, myself and my crew chief at the time were voted by drag racing fans and peers, to be Car Craft Magazine All Stars Driver and Crew Chief of the Year. That crew chief was Mike Green. In fact, we were together as far back as the early 1990’s when we were both with Joe Gibbs Racing for six years. Mike was assistant crew chief for three years before being promoted to crew chief and serving an additional three years in that position.

As fate would have it, Mike and I went our separate ways as many of us do in the world of professional drag racing. Now, we find ourselves back on the same team heading up the Fram dragster at Don Schumacher Racing.

We noticed an immediate improvement in the performance of the Fram dragster when Mike Green joined the team. Mike brought not only is knowledge of tuning a dragster, but also the people skills that can only acquired by living and experiencing life. Believe me, a crew chief has to be a decision maker, leader, supervisor, diplomat, and sometimes has to be a magician that pulls rabbits out of his hat.

Drag racing fans and team owners know that there is more to drag racing than just going in a straight line. There are dozens of factors to be considered in making a dragster do what it is supposed to do to win; Mike Green knows them as well as any crew chief that I have ever worked with. Achieving a reputation of being a good crew chief takes more than technical knowledge though; having good people skills is a necessary ingredient to be successful.

Mike Green not only makes the Fram dragster perform as required, he brings a calming effect to the team. Mike doesn’t seem to let things bother him. I think that’s because he’s too busy thinking about his next move! Getting upset and tense burns energy unnecessarily and clouds judgment; that isn’t Mike’s style. Remember, this is the same guy who had stomach trouble and drove himself to the hospital without telling anybody. He has promised not to do that again! Mike Green is a great addition to this Fram Top Fuel dragster team; everybody has noticed the difference.

Just as Abbott had Costello and Bush has Cheney (Don’t even ask where that came from...), a crew chief has to have a good assistant to see that the necessary duties are carried out in the trenches. The Fram team assistant crew chief is Neal Strausbaugh. Neal can be referred to as Mike Green’s right hand man. His position in the “chain of command” is just below Mike. He makes sure that things get done according to the crew chief’s standards.

Neal is a former Funny Car assistant crew chief previously with the Don Prudhomme Skoal team car driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. He has adapted very well to the Fram Top Fuel dragster and compliments Mike Green nicely. Neal assures that parts are ordered and all things are in their proper place as directed by the crew chief. In addition to duties that are considered to be routine as an assistant, Neal also incorporates people skills.

As the assistant crew chief, Neal finds himself in the position of diplomat and master communicator. He needs to bridge the gap between the guys doing the work in the trenches and the crew chief. When one of the crew has a problem, the chain of command dictates that they come to Neal first, and he solves the issue. If he cannot, then Neal is the one who takes the issue to Mike to be solved. As many people know, it isn’t always easy to supervise the people that you work with because you are seen not only as one of the guys, but as management also. Neal works very well with the guys here on the Fram team and can be seen working with the guys or in conference with management. Neal has one foot firmly planted in the management side of the house and the other in the trenches with the Fram boys and links the two worlds like a true professional. Like Mike Green, Neal Strausbaugh is a very valuable asset to the Fram Top Fuel Dragster team.

As a driver, I can’t tell you what a load off of my mind it is to be surrounded by competent professionals like I am here in the Fram camp. With Don Schumacher Racing providing all of the necessary parts and hardware, the people that we have here tie everything together to make a winning team. Mike and Neal, I just want to extend a heartfelt thank you for making my job a bit easier. It is nice to be able to concentrate on my driving when I have guys like you supporting this team.

In the next few blog entries, I am going to tell you about the guys who get their hands dirty and perform the hands-on work that makes this Fram dragster go down the track consistently. One thing is certain: it is a team effort here and if any one member doesn’t perform his job, we don’t get down the track. Stay tuned, because we have some real personalities here!

See you in Englishtown!