Sun, 17 Nov 2019, 14:33 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 55th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  374 Austin Prock                           24 Jordan Vandergriff           
E1                   0.041  4.140 245.09     ****WINNER****  0.049  3.721 329.50
 Qualified:            #10  3.733 328.22                        #7  3.719 327.90

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 3,031 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Prock is 2 - 1 against Vandergriff in prior events.

Prock with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke early to end his season.

Vandergriff is just a couple ticks off his qualifying time for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   21 Terry McMillen                          8 Doug Kalitta                 
E1                   0.081  5.811 112.50     ****WINNER****  0.052  3.740 328.38
 Qualified:            #11  3.739 323.43                        #6  3.717 324.28

Doug Kalitta won here in 2016. In 21 starts at this event he is just 12 - 9 in the first round. He is still in title contention but needs to win this round to keep those hopes alive. In the last 49 years the No. 11 TF qualifier is 16 - 33 in round one at this race.

Kalitta is 18 - 3 against McMillen in prior events.

Kalitta with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as McMillen was up in smoke by 150 feet. He pedaled it one time and couldn't get it to hook up before he clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   58 Richie Crampton                      7211 Mike Salinas                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.087  4.204 260.46                     0.056 No Time      
 Qualified:            #13  3.751 325.45                        #4  3.699 327.11

Crampton is 2 - 0 against Salinas in prior events.

Salinas with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit. The car bangs it right at the hit and the chutes deploy, he stops right before the finish line and won't get a time.

Crampton started to smoke the tires and pedals it and he gets the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1211 Justin Ashley                          25 Clay Millican                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.052  4.364 183.44                     0.105  4.434 181.86
 Qualified:            #14  3.763 318.32                        #3  3.699 328.30

This is the first time Ashley and Millican have faced each other in eliminations.

Ashley with the starting line advantage, but then started to haze the tires and pitched the blower belt. He had enough momentum to hold on for the win. Justin Ashley's MOV: 0.1231 seconds (approximately 33 feet). He will give up lane choice to Kalitta in the next round.

Millican's car just went silent around half track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Scott Palmer                          777 Leah Pritchett               
E1                   0.058  3.813 312.50     ****WINNER****  0.074  3.753 319.90
 Qualified:            #15  3.775 328.14                        #2  3.694 322.88

Pritchett is 9 - 3 against Palmer in prior events.

Palmer with the starting line advantage, but Pritchett had the lead by 200 feet and never trailed from there on for the win. Pritchett appeared to push out a head gasket around half track, but holds on for the win. Leah Pritchett's MOV: 0.0447 seconds (approximately 20 feet). She will give up lane choice to Vandergriff in the next round.

Palmer was dropping cylinders right in the lights in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  748 Cameron Ferre                           1 Steve Torrence               
E1                   0.072  4.040 294.82     ****WINNER****  0.142  3.734 327.82
 Qualified:            #16  3.955 301.81                        #1  3.686 329.99

Steve Torrence is the defending event champion. In the last 20 years the No. 1 qualifier in TF is 17 - 3 in round one at this event. In the last 42 years the top qualifier has only gone on to win this race 5 times.

Torrence is 2 - 0 against Ferre in prior events.

Ferre with the starting line advantage, but Torrence had the lead by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  614 Shawn Reed                            474 Billy Torrence               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  4.274 217.11                     0.085  4.360 241.07
 Qualified:            #12  3.746 327.98                        #5  3.701 327.51

Torrence is 2 - 0 against Reed in prior events.

Reed with the starting line advantage and then started to lose traction, he gets it to hold on for the win. He will give up lane choice to Crampton in the next round.

Torrence started to lose traction and can't get it to catch Reed.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Antron Brown                            5 Brittany Force               
E1                   0.049  6.601 114.89     ****WINNER****  0.072  4.075 218.41
 Qualified:             #9  3.729 330.07                        #8  3.726 331.69

Antron Brown won here in 2009 and 2010 in Top Fuel and in 1999 in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Brittany Force won this race in 2017.

Brown is 17 - 10 against Force in prior events.

Brown with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit, he pedaled it and can't get it to hook up.

Force started to lose traction just past half track, but she holds on for the win. She will give up lane choice to Torrence in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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