Sun, 20 Mar 2005, 12:15 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 36th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Scott Kalitta                         104 Clay Millican                
E1                   0.194  4.567 319.94     ****WINNER****  0.084  4.651 313.58
 Qualified:             #9  4.577 313.58                        #8  4.572 304.77

11:04 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 29.99 inches, adjusted altitude 831 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Big holeshot win for Millican, Kalitta very late at the green. Millican sacrificed a lot of aluminum parts on the top end, but got the win light. Clay Millican's incremental margins: 60ft(0.085), 330 ft(0.055), 660ft(0.050), 1,000ft(0.045). MOV: 0.0264 seconds (approximately 12 feet). He left some oil in the shutdown area, so there will be a quick cleanup before the next pair - he had a freebie coming, so it won't cost him.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  835 Andrew Cowin                            3 Brandon Bernstein            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.101  4.941 216.19                    -0.056 10.047  77.51
 Qualified:            #10  4.583 314.35                        #7  4.551 325.85

Bernstein has qualified 29 times in a row and he won here in '03. He was 7-2 against Cowin, but Bernstein did a "two-step" and turned on the red bulb, Cowin getting the win on an off-pace run, his car nosing over on the top end after running 265 mph at half track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  241 John Smith                            743 Morgan Lucas                 
E1                   0.077  6.821 201.70     ****WINNER****  0.052  5.533 228.60
 Qualified:            #11  4.629 318.58                        #6  4.537 320.97

John Smith is honoring the DRAW organization at this race, the Virgil Hartman team thanking them for the help they gave Smith after his accident at Brainerd. Smith was up in smoke early, right off the start, and that was a break for Lucas because the Lucas Oil car lost traction at half track. Morgan pedaled at least three times and the car lost traction three times.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 David Baca                             91 Larry Dixon                  
E1                   0.104  4.693 287.53     ****WINNER****  0.056  4.712 309.91
 Qualified:            #12  4.669 322.92                        #5  4.525 325.61

Dixon came in with a 5-0 record against Baca. Dixon has three wins here - in '95, '01 and '02. This is Baca's 42nd start in NHRA Top Fuel. Dixon left first, but his car was on a leisurely pace and Baca passed him to take the lead before half track. Baca held him off to the 1,000-foot mark, then the engine exploded in a huge fireball and Dixon went past for the win. Larry Dixon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.032), 330 ft(0.005), 660ft(-0.004), 1,000ft(-0.006). MOV: 0.0294 seconds (approximately 12 feet). Dixon was "only" going 259 mph at half track, behind his usual pace at that point. This was Baca's second oildown of the weekend and will cost him 10 points and $500.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  552 Rod Fuller                              1 Tony Schumacher              
E1                   0.071  4.731 305.18     ****WINNER****  0.075  4.549 328.94
 Qualified:            #13  4.671 316.45                        #4  4.520 333.95

Schmacher is the defending champion at the Gatornationals. Fuller is Schumacher's 56th different opponent and this is his second start in two attempts.Fuller left first and that was the last time he was in the lead, Schumacher running low elapsed time of the round so far on a flawless pass, giving him lane choice against Dixon in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Scott Weis                              7 Cory McClenathan             
E1                   0.097  4.732 284.81     ****WINNER****  0.126  4.573 315.34
 Qualified:            #14  4.686 285.98                        #3  4.497 329.91

This is Cory Mac's 588th round of drag racing and he came in with a 3-1 record against Weis. This is Weis' best start since Chicago 2 last year. Weis left first, but McClenathan led all the way, some pieces coming off Weis' car at half track. Whatever they were, his car didn't slow, but Cory Mac had him covered and will have lane choice against Lucas in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Doug Herbert                            2 Doug Kalitta                 
E1                  -0.024  4.621 298.50     ****WINNER****  0.070  4.565 326.44
 Qualified:            #15  4.774 225.67                        #2  4.488 325.14

Kalitta came in with a 16-8 record against "Dougzilla." This is the 24th time Kalitta has qualified #2 and he has qualified in the #2 spot more times than any other position in the field. This is the 12th time Herbert has qualified #15 and he is 7-8 from that starting spot.

Herbert went red and his best run of the weekend went to waste. Kalitta takes the gift, makes a nice run, and will have lane choice against Cowin in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  345 Bruce Litton                            5 David Grubnic                
E1                   0.052  4.652 315.12     ****WINNER****  0.084  4.534 322.81
 Qualified:            #16  4.832 295.76                        #1  4.481 331.85

This was Grubnic's seventh #1 qualifier and he has been #1 six times in the past 23 races. This is Litton's 41st NHRA start and the fourth time he's qualified #16. Litton had the better light and made his best run of the weekend by a bunch, but Grubnic had too much for him and won by over a car length. Grubnic shredded a blower belt on the top end, but still ran low elapsed time of the round and will have lane choice against Millican in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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