Cory Mac, Cerny have a lot in common
By Bill StephensEarlier this week, when the "Carrier Boyz" Top Fuel team owned by Mark and Andy Carrier, announced that Todd Smith had been released as crew chief, it didn't take long for it to find an experienced and suitable replacement.
And there's no mystery that the team's driver, Cory McClenathan, had a lot to do with finding the man who's coming on board.
Wes Cerny, who will assume tuning duties for the Carrier Boyz for the remainder of 2005, and Cory Mac have some history. In fact, their careers have taken similar turns over the years that they've competed -- both separately and together -- on the NHRA POWERade trail. Both have enjoyed strutting on the "Big Stage" during their individual sojourns through the sport and there have been times when each has taken less glamorous gigs with non-marquee operations.
But somehow, their determination and ability to bounce back in the face of misfortune or tough luck have helped them stay the course.
McClenathan's Top Fuel career has earned him four second-place finishes in the championship standings since he debuted in the T/F class in 1991. After campaigning his own team as the 1990s began, Cory drove for Grade A team owners Larry Minor and Joe Gibbs. When Gibbs closed down his Top Fuel team at the end of the 2000 season, McClenathan spent much of 2001 on the sidelines, before joining the Rick Henkelman-David Baca venture in 2002, then jumping to the Carrier brothers' outfit in 2003.
Cerny has traveled an equally circuitous career path. He began his drag racing exploits building a series of gas and fuel dragsters on the West Coast 40 years ago. He's worked for legendary car owner Roland Leong, was part of Kenny Bernstein's Top Fuel team when KB broke the 300-mph barrier in 1992, and tuned for Don Prudhomme, Cruz Pedregon, Scotty Cannon, Don Schumacher and Doug Herbert. Most significantly, Cerny tuned for McClenathan on the Gibbs team in 2000 and reunited with Cory in 2002 on the Henkelman-Baca car.
It seemed an obvious decision to McClenathan to hire his old friend when the opportunity arose.
"Having Wes Cerny on board has many pluses for Carrier Boyz Racing and for me," said McClenathan. "It was very important to have a crew chief come in that I knew. Wes is very adaptable and I feel that we can pick up where we left off without changing a lot of things. He is someone I trust to keep me safe in the race car. With only two races left he was the most logical pick."
Although no decisions have been made on the team's plans for 2006, the crew chief market is an extremely limited one as 2005 draws to a close. But with the offseason quickly approaching, expectations are that the market may become more active as team owners look to make changes and a certain number of crew chiefs look for greener pastures. For now, the Carrier Boyz team can't say for sure if Cerny will be its man in '06.
"There is a lot involved when you bring a new crew chief in and things aren't going to change overnight," says McClenathan, who is currently ninth in the POWERade standings. "Everyone realizes that. Wes brings a wealth of experience to our program. He is familiar with our system and hopefully he can make initial changes that will result in a more consistent car on Sunday for these final two races.
"Nothing has or is being decided about next year. We are only focusing on the last two races of this season. Beyond that we will turn our attention to 2006 after the end of the 2005 season. We still would like to finish out this season with a visit to the winner's circle."
Another path that McClenathan and Cerny would love to travel together again.
Bill Stephens covers NHRA for ESPN.com.
