Sun, 27 Sep 2015, 12:35 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  335 Dave Connolly                           2 J.R. Todd                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.057  3.739 329.34                     0.056  3.952 250.00
 Qualified:             #9  3.777 326.00                        #8  3.776 326.87

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 66 percent, barometer 29.62 inches, adjusted altitude 2,323 feet, track temperature 87 degrees.

J.R. Todd comes into eliminations with an overall record of 111 - 111.Dave Connolly is the defending event champion..in Pro Stock Connolly and Todd have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. They leave together with Todd getting the tick advantage, but connolly had the lead by 330 feet and never trailed from there on. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Dave Connolly's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.132, 660ft-3.008/289.26 mph. Todd was on a good pass and right in the lights the engine let go with a quick bang and pop and flash of flame.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                        25 Clay Millican                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  3.762 326.56                     0.079  3.763 321.27
 Qualified:            #11  3.825 320.13                        #6  3.765 319.60

Tony Schumacher has two national event wins at this track. This is only the second time this year that Tony has started from the bottom half of the field..This is the first time since the end of the 2013 season that Clay Millican has qualified in the top half of the field at back-to-back races. Schumacher is 26 - 4 against Millican in prior events. Schumacher with the starting line advantage and never trailed for a great side-by-side drag race. Tony Schumacher's MOV: 0.0192 seconds (approximately 9 feet). Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Millican with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Brittany Force                        497 Troy Buff                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  3.746 327.11                     0.078  5.899 107.73
 Qualified:             #4  3.753 321.73                       #13  3.854 306.40

This is the first race for Troy Buff since the Seattle event. At that race he lost to Brittany Force, his opponent today, in round one..This is the 12th time this year that Brittany has started in the top half of the field. Force is 1 - 0 against Buff in prior events. Force is out the gate first and never trailed for the win as Buff was up in smoke around 200 feet. Force with her quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Steve Torrence                        386 Kyle Wurtzel                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.097  3.756 324.67                     0.198  3.870 308.21
 Qualified:             #1  3.718 328.22                       #16  3.918 308.43

This is the 5th number one qualifying spot for Steve Torrence and his first since the Houston race last year. In the 17 national events that have been held here the #1 qualifier in Top Fuel has only won the race twice..Kyle Wurtzel is making his 3rd start in Top Fuel. Torrence is 1 - 0 against Wurtzel in prior events. Torrence with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Wurtzel with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort. Torrence will give up lane choice to Connolly in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Antron Brown                           21 Terry McMillen               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.041  3.767 322.19                     0.075  3.846 322.58
 Qualified:             #2  3.736 321.96                       #15  3.887 319.67

Since this event returned to the schedule in 2012 Antron Brown has won all three races. He also won here in 2009. Antron's four round wins in Charlotte gave him 553 for his career (in Top Fuel and Motorcycle combined) and that is 10th most wins in the pro classes. Brown is 11 - 2 against McMillen in prior events. Brown with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. McMillen with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                           474 Billy Torrence               
E1                   0.094  3.753 329.02     ****WINNER****  0.083  3.746 329.91
 Qualified:             #3  3.739 329.10                       #14  3.878 315.56

Dixon is 1 - 0 against Torrence in prior events. Torrence with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Torrence runs his career best E.T. and speed for the win. He runs the fastest pass of the event in Top Fuel. Dixon was right there with him until right in the lights when it had a quick flash of flames. Torrence will have lane choice over Schumacher in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Doug Kalitta                          875 Wayne Newby                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  3.777 328.06                     0.068  3.777 323.43
 Qualified:             #5  3.759 321.27                       #12  3.832 308.85

Doug Kalitta won here three times, 2001, 2003 & 2004..This is the 2nd start for Wayne Newby. In his only other start he lost to Doug Kalitta. Kalitta with the starting line advantage and the win on a hole shot as they run identical E.T.s. Doug Kalitta's MOV: 0.0093 seconds (approximately 4 feet). Newby with his career quickest and fastest pass in the losing effort. Kalitta will give up lane choice to Force in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shawn Langdon                         358 Richie Crampton              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  3.753 329.26                     0.067  4.228 226.92
 Qualified:             #7  3.776 328.38                       #10  3.805 325.06

Crampton is 6 - 4 against Langdon in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Langdon with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Crampton started to lose traction early and pedaled it, but couldn't get it to hook up. Langdon will have lane choice over Brown in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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