Sun, 21 Feb 2010, 03:42 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 26th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3516 Terry McMillen                        475 Steve Torrence               
E1                   0.130 10.518  75.14     ****WINNER****  0.100  3.905 307.58
 Qualified:             #9  3.896 303.43                        #8  3.871 306.81

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 28.73 inches, adjusted altitude 2,580 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

Torrence is 1 - 0 against McMillen in prior events. Torrence is out of the gate first and straight down the groove for the win. McMillen is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                           5 Brandon Bernstein            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  3.843 313.07                     0.082  3.896 309.13
 Qualified:            #10  3.933 309.63                        #7  3.863 312.13

Bernstein is 12 - 6 against Grubnic in prior events. Grubnic is out of the gate first and never trailed running his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.078/279.44 mph. Bernstein slowed from his qualifying time, but still had a clean pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Morgan Lucas                          333 Shawn Langdon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.108  3.843 315.49                     0.057  6.425 101.85
 Qualified:            #11  3.935 297.55                        #6  3.857 310.98

Lucas is 1 - 0 against Langdon in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right off the starting line. He pedaled it, but was back up in smoke. Lucas with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win light. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.077/277.60 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  700 Steven Chrisman                         2 Larry Dixon                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.134  4.110 288.77                     0.089  4.210 305.22
 Qualified:            #14  4.048 287.29                        #3  3.837 317.57

Buff and Brown had done their burnouts and then were shut off because of sprinkles. They will be give time to refuel and cool down, we wer down for about 15 minutes. Dixon is 4 - 0 against Chrisman in prior events. Dixon was out of the gate first and then started to chatter the tires and had a quick pedal, but wasn't able to chase drown Chrisman. Chrisman with a clean pass, but slowed from his qualifying time, but still takes the win light. Chrisman will give up lane choice to Lucas in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  261 Andy Carter                             1 Tony Schumacher              
E1                   0.100  3.947 301.81     ****WINNER****  0.150  3.824 317.19
 Qualified:            #16  8.687  72.00                        #1  3.818 317.05

This is the first time Carter and Schumacher have faced each other in eliminations. Carter is out of the gate first, but Schumacher had the difference made up by 100 feet and then runs the quickest pass of the first session for the win. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.062/278.69 mph. He will have lane choice over Torrence in the next round. Carter with his career quickest and fastest pass here in the United States in a losing effort. Andy Carter's incremental times: 60ft-0.893 sec., 330ft-2.233, 660ft-3.160/272.17 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  323 Chris Karamesines                      22 Doug Kalitta                 
E1                   0.058  4.559 179.44     ****WINNER****  0.091  3.996 313.44
 Qualified:            #15  4.098 261.12                        #2  3.825 317.05

Kalitta is 1 - 0 against Karamesines in prior events. Karamesines with the starting line advantage and the lead until about half track when Kalitta was able to chase him down. Karamesines started mixing up cylinders and then lost the blower belt. Kalitta with a good clean pass, but will give up lane choice to Grubnic in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   72 Mike Strasburg                          4 Cory McClenathan             
E1                   0.093  4.008 306.40     ****WINNER****  0.135  3.843 315.86
 Qualified:            #12  3.975 284.51                        #5  3.841 310.63

McClenathan is 3 - 0 against Strasburg in prior events. Strasburg with the starting line advantage and the lead until around 200 feet. McClenathan is just a couple ticks off his qualifying time for the win. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.081/278.40 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  497 Troy Buff                               3 Antron Brown                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  3.999 292.08                     0.076 No Time      
 Qualified:            #13  3.987 282.60                        #4  3.838 315.34

Brown is 4 - 0 against Buff in prior events. Buff with a slight starting line advantage was straight down the groove to take the win. Brown with violent tire shake as soon as he hit the throttle and he pedaled it and the car was still shaking hard. The left rear wheel snapped off and went flying down the track. Brown's car then made quick move left and slammed into the left wall. The front of his car got up on the wall and there was a big fireball. The car was sliding down the wall with the front of the dragster still on the wall and the car on fire. The car came to rest around 660 feet on it's side and the front of the car still on the wall and still on fire. Brown is out of the car and the report from the top end is he is okay.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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