Biehle left first, but his car squatted and was slow off the line. Smith led at 60 feet and held on against Biehle's top-end charge for the win and lane choice against Rahaim in the semifinals.

Rickie Smith's incremental margins: 60ft(0.009), 330 ft(0.040), 660ft(0.028), 1,000ft(0.023). MOV: 0.0165 seconds (approximately 6 feet).