C-Mac joins Gwynn with N.Y. Yankees/Berryman fueler

Two of drag racing's most distinguished and familiar names have teamed for the 2003 NHRA POWERade drag racing campaign. Cory McClenathan, NHRA's winningest active Top Fuel driver will wheel the Darrell Gwynn Racing entry flying the colors of the New York Yankees and Berryman Products. John Stewart will tune the car.

Entering 2003, McClenathan has 31 career NHRA national event victories, including the 2002 season-ending Auto Club Finals. Before a racing accident cut short his own brilliant Top Fuel driving career, Gwynn amassed 28 career NHRA national event wins including the 1983 Top Alcohol Dragster championship.

The popular Cory Mac replaces Australian Andrew Cowin, who finished a career-best eighth in NHRA Top Fuel points last season in Gwynn's dragster. The team produced four No. 1 qualifier awards in 2002, including the sport's quickest run of the year – a 4.490 e.t. logged at the season-opening Winternationals.

"With the start of the new season upon us we found ourselves with a substantial amount of sponsor funding secured but still short of the necessary levels to allow us to race," Gwynn said. "We were resigning ourselves to the possibility of not being able to run and perhaps even permanently dismantling our racing operations. As it turned out, Cory was essentially in a similar situation. By combining forces we were able to solve our respective funding short-falls and create a very solid program that includes one of Top Fuel's greatest drivers."

An impressive contingent of continuing sponsors including the New York Yankees, who are currently enjoying their 100th anniversary in baseball, MBNA Bank N.A., GMC, Winnebago Industries, and Mac Tools return to the Gwynn team in 2003. They will be joined by an array of new team and driver sponsors including Berryman Products, Dyn-O-Mat, Centennial Batteries, Don Steves Chevrolet, Negley Electric, and Fabtech Motorsports.

For McClenathan, the opportunity to drive for Gwynn Racing opens an exciting new chapter in an already distinguished racing career.

"To find myself with a first-class racing operation that year after year turns out one of the quickest and fastest cars in the sport is tremendous," said McClenathan, who signed a three-year deal with Gwynn. "I am very excited about this, not just for the 2003 season but beyond. It's the opportunity to participate in building and maintaining a growing, championship-caliber program."

"I bought my first Top Fuel dragster off of the Gwynns back in 1990. They were a part of my past and now they're part of my future."