Sun, Nov 15, 04:23 PM POMONA - Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan No Bonus Bucks Today

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 34th annual NHRA Winston Finals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Larry Dixon         4.580 313.04  Q   5 Mike Dunn           4.587 320.97
   (J Head      ) 0.468  4.638 317.57 E1   (T Mullins   ) 0.500  4.689 310.55
 *****WINNER***** 0.484  4.626 314.57 E2                  0.463  4.673 315.75

1:04 PM Two good, clean, straight, strong runs here, but somebody has to lose and this time it was Dunn, by about 12 feet. Dunn was slightly quicker off the starting line, but Dixon made that up in the first 60 feet and then it was just plain old drag racing.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Kenny Bernstein     4.636 315.01  Q   2 Joe Amato           4.555 322.69
   (C Powell    ) 0.459  5.726 255.31 E1   (B Vandergrif) 0.487  4.616 309.70
 *****WINNER***** 0.463  4.693 305.70 E2                  0.495  6.015 144.41

Bernstein left first, but Amato was on a very stout pass, a 0.840 at 60 feet and 0.06 seconds ahead at 330 feet. But then the Tenneco dragster started spinning the tires, followed by engine smoke and raw fuel from the pipes as the flames went out. That run wasn't as quick as Bernstein wanted, but for the heat of the day it might be about all the track would allow. Louie the Lizard's season goes at least another round before it's back to the bayou.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Doug Kalitta        4.576 320.85  Q  11 Cory McClenathan    4.646 300.60
   (T Schumacher) 0.486  4.644 311.52 E1   (E Hill      ) 0.474  4.597 302.82
                  0.521 11.392  84.25 E2 *****WINNER***** 0.419  4.769 298.30

The Safety Safari did a quick cleanup in the right lane, Amato's car losing some juice starting at about half track.

Well, the NHRA profit for the year just went up $50,000, Kalitta losing traction in the first 100 feet. Cory Mac was vulnerable, dropping a cylinder on the right side at the hit of the throttle and then mixing the cylinders up from half track on, with a big flash of flame at 1,000 feet. He hurt it, losing lane choice to Bernstein next round, but at least he will be in the semifinals. On the PA system, he described the psychic reaction time as, "Oops."

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Doug Herbert        4.628 304.77  Q   1 Gary Scelzi         4.548 323.85
   (B Sarver    ) 0.464  4.735 298.01 E1   (D Lampus    ) 0.496  4.564 320.97
                  0.480  4.705 301.91 E2 *****WINNER***** 0.495  4.667 307.16

Herbert almost pulled off the upset here, away first and leading almost all the way down the track. But Herbert's engine started going away around 1,000 feet and Scelzi squeaked by in the last few feet, winning by about 10 feet. Scelzi goes to the semifinals, but gives up lane choice to Dixon. And once again the Safety Safari goes to work cleaning the track, this time in the left lane shutdown area.

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