Sun, Feb 7, 04:52 PM POMONA - Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green Hill Can't Go Back

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 39th annual NHRA AutoZone Winternationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Tony Schumacher     4.584 306.67  Q  12 Jim Head            4.683 299.33
   (T Gibson    ) 0.653  4.575 317.79 E1   (R Reehl     ) 0.514  4.678 278.52
 *****WINNER***** 0.462  4.553 324.75 E2                  0.500  5.062 228.54

1:24 PM and the clouds are completely shading the Pomona Raceway track surface now, the temperature holding at 59 degrees. Schumacher runs another career best to advance over the Checker Schucks Kragen dragster of Jim Head, as Head throws in the towel at 900'.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Larry Dixon         4.593 311.77  Q  14 Bob Vandergriff     4.691 313.00
   (C Kalitta   ) 0.482  4.552 313.07 E1   (G Scelzi    ) 0.506  4.605 290.69
 *****WINNER***** 0.480  4.578 274.44 E2                  0.500  4.616 293.79

Vandegriff's birthday celebration comes to an end, the engine pushing a head gasket out early in the run, a big flame trailing the car for most of the run. Dixon moves into the semifinals, even though he threw the blower belt off at the 1000' mark, and he had to just hold on and hope that Vandergriff didn't come thundering by. We're on hold while the Safety Safari cleans up some debris from Vandergriff's engine, at the 1000' mark and beyond.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Mike Dunn           4.503 312.35  Q   8 Cory McClenathan    4.631 307.09
   (B Sarver    ) 0.515  4.513 312.50 E1   (D Herbert   ) 0.493  4.632 316.45
 *****WINNER***** 0.471  4.561 318.02 E2                  0.491  4.660 273.66

With the clouds and cool temps, the conditions are just about ideal for these fuel cars, and many of the crew chiefs are predicting that we'll see even more records fall as the day goes on. Everybody would love to be the first in the 5.40s, can Dunn accomplish that here?? Nope, although Dunn was quicker off the line and at every interval. He was at 268mph at the eighth-mile, vs. 265 for Cory Mac, so the MBNA car was right there until he shut it off at 8-900'.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Eddie Hill          4.535 313.80  Q   7 Kenny Bernstein     4.625 306.81
   (D Lampus    ) 0.551  4.545 303.57 E1   (D Kalitta   ) 0.454  4.751 316.38
                  0.000 (Broke)       E2 *****WINNER***** 0.804  4.608 316.60

Hill is having problems getting the car into reverse, the clutch locked up just enough so that it won't disengage. The crew tries everything they can think of, but its to no avail, and Hill motors slowly on to the finish. Meanwhile Bernstein is forced to wait on the starting line, until Hill is safely out of the way, so there is some concern that the extra wait will affect his performance, but that doesn't seem to be the case, the Bud King running its best ET and speed of the weekend. Dixon will get lane choice over King Kenny, while Schumacher gets his choice against Dunn.

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