Sun, 16 Mar 2003, 02:15 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 34th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Doug Herbert                          797 David Baca
E2                   0.082  7.490 108.51     ****WINNER****  0.080  4.627 317.12
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Romine    ) 0.093  8.113  96.29      (C Millican  ) 0.089  4.591 304.77
 Qualified:             #4  4.556 323.50                       #12  4.673 303.43

1:54 PM Current weather conditions: 72 degrees, 71 percent relative humidity, the barometer 28.89 inches, with a track temperature of 107 degrees.

Herbert went about 100 feet, then smoked the tires and David Baca went right down the groove for his second career round win and a berth in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Cory McClenathan                        2 Brandon Bernstein
E2                   0.053  4.631 313.80     ****WINNER****  0.058  4.594 324.55
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Russell   ) 0.091  4.629 317.12      (A Cowin     ) 0.088  4.578 321.08
 Qualified:             #7  4.597 320.05                        #2  4.537 327.27

Good drag race, Cory Mac leading to half track, then Bernstein moving slightly ahead and holding McClenathan off for the win. Cory Mac's car dropped a cylinder on the top end and that may have made the difference. Brandon Bernstein's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.014), 330 ft(-0.012), 660ft(-0.006), 1,000ft(0.012). MOV: 0.0328 seconds (approximately 15 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Larry Dixon                           888 Jim Head
E2   ****WINNER****  0.080  4.545 321.54                     0.080  5.845 151.13
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Litton    ) 0.066  4.552 326.56      (T Schumacher) 0.064  4.650 304.98
 Qualified:             #3  4.541 321.31                       #11  4.671 310.88

They left together, but the race was over when Head began smoking the tires about 300 feet out. Dixon was cleanly down the groove with low ET of the round so far and will have lane choice over Bernstein when the beer wars resume in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 John Smith                              4 Doug Kalitta
E2   ****WINNER****  0.074  5.016 279.67                     0.060  6.214 152.43
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Hartman-Sm) 0.083  4.613 296.34      (S Muldowney ) 0.079  4.548 323.62
 Qualified:             #9  4.648 312.71                        #1  4.535 300.90

Big upset in a pedaling contest, Kalitta losing traction first and Smith a bit later. Both pedaled and then Kalitta lost the blower belt, ending the contest. Smith goes to the semifinals to race David Baca, Baca with lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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