This was the first time that Doug Kalitta has started eliminations in the number 16 spot. The last time he started in the bottom half of the field was at Memphis in 2002. Before this race, Kalitta had six wins and 17 losses in the first round when he has started in the bottom half. He is the defending Top Fuel champion here at Maple Grove and had 14 wins and 10 losses to Schumacher before this meeting.

When Kalitta's crew tried to start the car in the staging lanes, there was a very loud back fire that sent the crew scattering. Whatever caused the backfire damaged the engine so Kalitta's car was pushed back, giving Schumacher a competition single. Schumacher smoked the tires as soon as he launched and got the front wheels up in the air, so he had to back off the throttle and give up lane choice to Doug Herbert in round two.