Sun, 22 May 2016, 12:36 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 28th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Clay Millican                          21 Terry McMillen               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.087  3.783 320.74                     0.126  3.984 245.58
 Qualified:             #7  3.736 318.24                       #10  3.762 324.59

Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 28.87 inches, adjusted altitude 3,277 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

Millican is 3 - 2 against McMillen in prior events. Millican with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. His second quickest pass of the weekend and his fastest pass of the weekend. McMillen was mixing up cylinders just past half track and used up an engine on the top end with a big cloud of engine smoke. the word from the top end is there is oil in McMillen's lane. Terry McMillen was charged with an oildown, #4 for the season. That will cost 15 points and $4K.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tony Schumacher                       394 Luigi Novelli                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.113  3.748 327.90                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #5  3.724 324.05                       #12  4.029 256.65

This will be Tony Schumacher's 1,099th round of competition. Only John Force and Warren Johnson have competed in more rounds than "The Sarge." Tony won here in 2010. Schumacher is 3 - 0 against Novelli in prior events. Novelli pulled up to the waterbox and the engine died and he is pushed off the starting line, so Schumacher will get the single here. Schumacher was straight down the groove with his second quickest pass of the weekend and his fastest of the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Richie Crampton                       121 Terry Haddock                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.082  4.033 218.72                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #4  3.710 318.99                       #13  4.494 186.64

Richie Crampton is the defending event champion. In the 27years of this event no Top Fuel driver has ever won in back-to-back years. This is the first time Crampton and Haddock have faced each other in eliminations. Haddock did the burnout and couldn't get it to back up and drove off the top end. Crampton will get the single. Crampton was on a good pass and then clicked it off just past half track. He will give up lane choice to Schumacher in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brittany Force                             Bye
E1   ****WINNER****  0.121  3.707 326.24     
 Qualified:             #1  3.676 325.45                     Bye

This is the 5th time that Brittany Force has qualified #1. She has never won from the top spot and the #1 qualifier in TF has only won here three times in the last 20 years. Force launched hard and keep it hitting on eight and hooked up to make the quickest pass on Race Day.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Doug Kalitta                          723 Rob Passey                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.023  3.795 287.23                     0.128 14.800  34.25
 Qualified:             #2  3.701 330.88                       #15 No Time      

Doug Kalitta's win in Atlanta was his 40th and that is 9th best among all drivers in the nitro classes. He also became the first Top Fuel driver in history to win back-to-back races with a holeshot in the final round. Doug won here in 2006. Kalitta is 1 - 0 against Passey in prior events. Kalitta with a great reaction time and was on a great pass until in the lights when the engine let go with big fireball. The word from of the top end the track is clean. Passey's car shut off right at the hit and he coast to the finish line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Steve Torrence                        354 Smax Smith                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.087  3.800 324.12                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #3  3.709 329.91                       #14 No Time      

This is the 3rd start for Smax Smith..This is the first time Torrence and Smith have faced each other in eliminations. Smith does his burnout and then when he gets back to the starting line and the rpms go up real high and the crew shuts him off. Torrence get the single. Torrence on a nice clean pass to move one.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Shawn Langdon                        5050 Scott Palmer                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  3.915 242.71                     0.083  3.940 311.70
 Qualified:             #6  3.726 330.15                       #11  3.872 312.86

Shawn Langdon won her in 2013. Langdon is 3 - 0 against Palmer in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage and then around half track the engine lets go with a big fireball, but he holds on for the win. Shawn Langdon's MOV: 0.0482 seconds (approximately 22 feet). Palmer was on a good pass, but couldn't chase him down. Langdon will give up lane choice to Torrence in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Antron Brown                          373 J.R. Todd                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  3.723 319.82                     0.046  3.767 322.96
 Qualified:             #8  3.743 323.12                        #9  3.758 320.89

Antron Brown has 580 round wins coming into eliminations and that has him tied with Jeg Coughlin for 9th place on the all-time professional list. Antron has never won this race, in fact, he has a losing record (7-8) overall in Topeka. Brown is 12 - 1 against Todd in prior events. They leave together with Brown getting a couple ticks and never trailed from there on for the win. Antron Brown's MOV: 0.0461 seconds (approximately 22 feet). Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win, but will give up lane choice to Force in the next round. Todd was just a few ticks off his qualifying time and this was his second quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Alcohol Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Competition Eliminator Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Dragster Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 05- POMONA 2 - Event Preview
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Competition Eliminator
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Stock
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Stock Eliminator
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Gas