Sun, 27 Oct 2002, 04:03 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Larry Dixon         4.569 323.81  Q   10 Rhonda Hartman-Smi  4.652 314.02
   (S Weis      ) 0.488  4.626 321.81  E1   (C Mc Clenath) 0.506  4.646 316.97
 *****WINNER***** 0.508  4.589 323.35  E2                  0.560  4.671 308.50

Dixon needs to win this round to become the second racer of the weekend to clinch a POWERade Championship. He does, and does it in a big way. Another 4.5 and the win. Rhonda didn't roll over for him and ran very well. Just not enough. Dixon had .05 in the bank at the hit and never had to look over his shoulder. Congratulations to the entire Miller Lite team.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Tony Schumacher     4.589 323.27  Q   13 Shirley Muldowney   4.688 301.54
   (Y Oyama     ) 0.484  4.598 326.48  E1   (K Bernstein ) 0.465  4.585 317.64
 *****WINNER***** 0.465  4.647 319.22  E2                  0.501  4.643 322.34

Great race! Schumacher left on Muldowney but Shirley stayed right with him all the way to the finish. It appeared that Muldowney's racer was spinning the tires after half track. No smoke but black track all the way to the stripe. Bottom line is The Sarge moves on and Shirley will be packing up.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Doug Herbert        4.537 301.13  Q    8 Darrell Russell     4.628 315.71
   (M Strasburg ) 0.468  4.621 317.94  E1   (D Grubnic   ) 0.492  4.804 292.39
 *****WINNER***** 0.480  4.615 293.98  E2                  0.471 11.295  84.12

Russell smokes the tires before he clears the tree. Herbert is hooked up and pulling hard to the finish stripe until there was another blower explosion in Dougzilla's racer. He levels another blower and trails parts everywhere. Hard on parts but Herbert advances with lane choice over Schumacher in the semis.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Andrew Cowin        4.601 318.32  Q    3 Doug Kalitta        4.575 324.67
   (J Smith     ) 0.518  4.569 328.38  E1   (M Troxel    ) 0.473  4.592 321.81
 *****WINNER***** 0.525  4.621 321.42  E2                  0.514 11.752  84.66

One thing different this race only is that the teams are working on a 65 minute rule between rounds. Kalitta smokes the tires and Cowin moves down range smartly for the win. Cowin gives up lane choice against the new POWERade Champ, Dixon, in the other semi final.

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