Kalitta has been the runner-up here twice, in '04 and again in '08. Lucas won this event in '03, in Top Alcohol Dragster. Kalitta holds a 12-7 edge against Lucas in prior events, but the tally is tied at 4-4 in round 1.

It's a crew chief's worst nightmare, today's weather and track conditions unlike any they saw in the five qualifying sessions.

We got a good race to open the event, but we also got our first oildown of the day. They left together and were side-by-side for most of the race, Kalitta surging ahead past the 660-foot marker. However, his car trailed a haze of fluid , starting just before the lights.

Doug Kalitta's incremental margins: 60ft(0.010), 330 ft(0.014), 660ft(0.011). MOV: 0.0293 seconds (approximately 13 feet).

Kalitta has a credit, so the oildown will cost him 10 points and $1K, but he keeps his time for lane choice purposes.