Sun, 22 Sep 2013, 12:32 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 28th annual AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  474 Billy Torrence                          8 Bob Vandergriff              
E1                   0.100  3.840 316.90     ****WINNER****  0.072  3.841 321.81
 Qualified:             #8  3.853 316.52                        #9  3.870 316.75

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 29.37 inches, adjusted altitude 2,411 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

This is the first time Torrence and Vandergriff have faced each other in eliminations. Bob Vandergriff won his first race here in 2011. This is a great drag race to start the day. Vandergriff is out of the gate first and never trailed for the hole shot win. Bob Vandergriff's MOV: 0.0276 seconds (approximately 13 feet). This is Vandergriff's quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Torrence runs his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Brandon Bernstein                       1 Antron Brown                 
E1                   0.098  4.937 141.55     ****WINNER****  0.068  3.852 312.93
 Qualified:             #3  3.827 316.38                       #14  3.895 311.05

This is Brandon Bernstein's best starting spot since the Winternationals..Antron Brown has now started from the bottom half of the field at five of the last ten races. This is his lowest starting spot since St. Louis in 2010, 79 races ago. Brown is 16 - 10 against Bernstein in prior events. Brown with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Bernstein was up in smoke by the 330-foot mark. Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shawn Langdon                         317 T.J. Zizzo                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  3.767 325.53                     0.104  3.823 318.62
 Qualified:             #1  3.819 321.04                       #16  3.949 290.44

This is Shawn Langdon's 11th number one spot and fifth this year. He is 9-1 in round one matches when he qualifies at the top of the field..This is T.J. Zizzo's fifth time as the number 16 qualifier and has upset the top driver twice in his previous four starts from the bottom of the field. Langdon is 4 - 0 against Zizzo in prior events. Langdon is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win. Shawn Langdon's MOV: 0.0812 seconds (approximately 38 feet). Langdon sets both ends of the track records on this pass. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.828 sec., 330ft-2.134, 660ft-3.023/285.71 mph. Zizzo with a real nice pass in the losing effort, his quickest of the weekend. Langdon will have lane choice over Vandergriff in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                           91 Larry Dixon                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.115  3.793 322.96                     0.131  3.885 311.49
 Qualified:             #2  3.825 318.39                       #15  3.939 292.71

Doug Kalitta is one of the two TF drivers in the top ten who has not won a race yet this year..Larry Dixon is 34-29 against Doug in their careers but they are tied, 6-6, in round one matches. This is the 9th time Larry has qualified 15th and he has only one round win from that starting spot. Larry has won this race twice. Dixon is 34 - 29 against Kalitta in prior events. Kalitta with the starting line advantage and never trailed with a great looking pass for the win. Kalitta with his quickest pass of the weekend and the second quickest of the weekend. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.835 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.045/283.31 mph. Dixon with a puff of smoke right in the lights, but still runs his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  475 Steve Torrence                          2 Tony Schumacher              
E1                   0.055  3.889 313.22     ****WINNER****  0.082  3.825 323.04
 Qualified:             #4  3.832 320.89                       #13  3.878 320.20

Tony Schumacher has won this race five times and that's the most in the TF class. This is his lowest starting spot since the Houston race...Steve Torrence won the TAD class here in 2005. Schumacher is 6 - 4 against Torrence in prior events. Torrence is out of the gate first and has the lead until around half track when Schumacher chases him down and takes the win by 0.0371 seconds (approximately 17 feet). Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend in the win. Torrence slowed from his qualifying time in the lost.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Spencer Massey                        373 J.R. Todd                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.068  3.798 320.74                     0.078  3.846 316.97
 Qualified:             #6  3.839 318.02                       #11  3.871 311.27

Massey and Todd have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Massey with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win by 0.0586 seconds (approximately 27 feet). Massey with his quickest pass of the weekend and the third quickest of weekend in the win. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.045/283.19 mph. Todd with his quickest pass in the losing effort. Massey will have lane choice over his teammate Brown in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  255 Clay Millican                          34 Morgan Lucas                 
E1                   0.085  3.805 321.27     ****WINNER****  0.080  3.797 323.04
 Qualified:             #5  3.835 320.74                       #12  3.872 317.87

Clay Millican is the other TF driver in the Countdown who has now won a race this year. This is a great drag race with Lucas getting a slight advantage on the starting line and never trailed for the win by 0.0134 seconds (approximately 6 feet). Lucas with his quickest pass of the weekend and he now has the third quickest of the weekend for the Top Fuel class. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.049/282.84 mph. Lucas will have lane choice over Schumacher in the next round. Millican with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.152, 660ft-3.051/282.01 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                         745 Brittany Force               
E1                   0.090  4.284 208.17     ****WINNER****  0.084  3.832 317.79
 Qualified:             #7  3.848 320.43                       #10  3.871 312.06

Grubnic is 1 - 0 against Force in prior events. Force is out of the gate first and never trailed as Grubnic started to smoke the tires and then bang the blower with a quick flash of flames. Force with her quickest pass of the weekend for the win. She will give up lane choice to Kalitta in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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