Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 16th
annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
7 Doug Herbert 797 David Baca
E1 0.058 5.129 211.16 ****WINNER**** 0.060 4.808 304.25
Qualified: #9 4.686 302.14 #8 4.678 311.77
12:00 PM Current weather conditions: 69 degrees, 62 percent relative humidity, the
barometer 30.05 inches. There are no clouds in the blue Northern California sky and almost
no wind.Doug Herbert is the defending champion at Sonoma, beating Kalitta in 2002.
David Baca won his first Division 7 race here at Sonoma in 1989 in a TAFC. He has raced
Herbert four times in the past with two wins. They leave together and Herbert starts to
pull steadily away until about the 1000 foot mark, where there is a flash/bang from the
engine and he slows. Baca was right there and pulled ahead for the win.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
3 Tony Schumacher 323 Chris Karamesines
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.124 5.643 169.02 No Time
Qualified: #10 4.697 309.84 #7 4.677 310.13
Karamesines' last event win was at Maple Grove in 1990. His last round win was also in
1990 at Baton Rouge. They have only met once before in eliminations with Schumacher taking
the win. Schumacher was runner-up to Kalitta here in 1999 and he beat Dixon at Chicago to
take his only final round win in 2003. Karamesines engine shuts off after the burn
out and Schumacher was there for the taking. He had a good .844 60 foot time, but was up
in smoke before mid track. Luck is good!!
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
5 Cory McClenathan 9 Rhonda Hartman-Smith
E1 0.077 5.034 269.78 ****WINNER**** 0.100 4.820 254.95
Qualified: #11 4.702 316.15 #6 4.669 312.50
Rhonda has only won two of the fourteen times that they have met. McClenathan has two
runner-ups this year. Cory was away first and lead until after the 330 foot lights. Once
again the left lane bites, as he is up in smoke. Rhonda's pass was limited, when the
blower belt came off just before the lights.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
337 Paul Romine 6 Darrell Russell
E1 0.020 4.729 309.77 ****WINNER**** 0.071 4.645 315.12
Qualified: #12 4.702 313.80 #5 4.636 309.91
Russell has owned Romine, winning all five of their prior meetings. Both cars are able
to make a full pass and Russell is able to run close to his qualifying times. Romine was
out first and stayed ahead until just before the 330 lights. That's the first full pull
for both lanes.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
2 Kenny Bernstein 757 David Grubnic
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.107 4.623 319.60 0.080 8.079 82.92
Qualified: #4 4.624 324.36 #13 4.707 315.27
This will be the fortieth time that Bernstein has started from the forth-qualifying
position in his career, with three final round wins from that position. He defeated Dave
Grubnic here in 2001 in the final round. They have met eleven times in the past and he has
won nine times. Looks like there is nothing wrong with the left lane, as Bernstein storms
ahead of Grubnic immediately and never looks back to take the win. Grubnic left first, but
was up in smoke after the 60 foot lights. Bernstein will have lane choice over Russell
next round.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
461 Don Lampus 201 Scott Weis
E1 0.069 4.895 294.11 ****WINNER**** 0.080 4.869 259.91
Qualified: #14 4.724 302.55 #3 4.597 320.58
Weis is enjoying his second top half of the field qualifying position, after fifty in
the bottom half. He was runner up to Kalitta at St. Louis this year. This will be the
first time that he has met Lampus in eliminations. Great side by side race with a narrow
seven foot lead at the lights. Weis has engine problems near the lights and will lose lane
choice to Hartman-Smith in next round.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
10 John Smith 1 Larry Dixon
E1 0.054 6.139 156.28 ****WINNER**** 0.043 4.606 322.11
Qualified: #15 4.764 296.89 #2 4.584 322.50
Dixon has a 9/0 win against anyone named Smith and John has been involved in four of
those. Dixon has already won seven times this year and is looking to sweep the Western
Swing with wins at Denver and Seattle already. He has never won at Seattle. Smith was
runner-up to Brandon Bernstein at Gainesville earlier this year. Dixon crushes Smith with
low ET so far and will get lane choice over Schumacher in the next round. Smith smokes the
tires before the 330 lights.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
72 Mike Strasburg 4 Doug Kalitta
E1 -0.195 5.912 151.92 ****WINNER**** 0.041 4.666 316.90
Qualified: #16 4.821 303.30 #1 4.531 325.77
This is Doug Kalitta's 15th time as number one qualifier, with three wins and four
runner-ups this year. He was runner up last year to Doug Herbert. This will be the second
time that these two have met in eliminations, both here at Sonoma. Strasburg left on
someone else's light and gives it away. Kalitta was taking no chances and makes a clean
pass through the lights. His ET will give him lane choice over Baca in the next
round.
Timing data courtesy of
CompuLink
