Sun, 09 Feb 2020, 13:42 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, 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Clay Millican                          21 Terry McMillen               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  3.731 323.58                     0.064  4.640 183.05
 Qualified:             #8  3.750 323.19                        #7  3.748 322.58

Weather conditions: air temperature 59 degrees, relative humidity 62 percent, barometer 28.71 inches, adjusted altitude 1,902 feet, track temperature 70 degrees.

Millican with a slight starting line advantage, he was straight down the groove for the win. McMillen with tire shake right at the hit and pedaled it, but couldn't get it to hook up and lifted.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  123 Antron Brown                          614 Shawn Reed                   
E1                   0.065  5.233 143.76     ****WINNER****  0.223  3.924 238.26
 Qualified:             #9  3.780 322.42                        #6  3.735 328.86

In his career Antron Brown has faced 119 different drivers and 55 of them have never beaten him, including Shawn Reed who is 0 - 3 against the former champ.

Brown with the starting line, but had severe tire shake right at the hit and pedaled it. He couldn't get it to hook up and finally clicked it off.

Reed was late on the starting line, but was on a good pass until the car pitched the blower belt. He held on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
        Bye                                   3 Brittany Force               
E1                                            ****WINNER****  0.087  8.648  77.72
 Qualified:                                                       #1  3.657 334.32

This is the 19th No. 1 spot for Brittany Force. She has two wins when starting from the top spot in the field.

Force shook right at the hit and clicked it off. She will give up lane choice to Millican in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  714 Brandon Welch                           2 Doug Kalitta                 
E1                   0.091  7.325 105.68     ****WINNER****  0.089  3.885 326.87
 Qualified:            #10  3.841 272.17                        #5  3.717 330.39

This is the first start for Brandon Welch in Top Fuel. He is the 568th driver to qualify for an NHRA Top Fuel field.

Kalitta with a slight starting line advantage, the car started to rattle the tires and Kalitta pedaled it. He got it to hook up and take the win.

Welch was dropping cylinders right at the hit and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  759 Jim Maroney                           777 Leah Pruett                  
E1                   0.064  4.503 179.71     ****WINNER****  0.084  3.659 328.14
 Qualified:            #12  4.035 294.43                        #3  3.687 328.06

This is the first time Maroney and Pruett have faced each other in eliminations.

Maroney with the starting line advantage, but Pruett had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree. She runs he quickest pass of the weekend and the quickest pass of the day for the win. She will have lane choice over Reed in the next round.

Maroney started to haze the tires around half track and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  748 Cameron Ferre                           8 Austin Prock                 
E1                   0.087  5.164 143.60     ****WINNER****  0.052  4.004 316.15
 Qualified:            #13  4.321 208.65                        #2  3.680 330.72

Prock is 1 - 0 against Ferre in prior events.

Prock with the starting line advantage, but dropped a cylinder right at the hit, he pedaled it. The car dropped a cylinder again, but stayed with it to get the win. Prock will have a bye in the next round.

Ferre started mixing up cylinders early and then the engine let go just past the 330-foot mark with a big fireball. The word from the Safety Safari is there is oil in his lane. Cameron Ferre was charged with an oildown, #1 for the season. That will cost 5 points and $500.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1211 Justin Ashley                         333 Shawn Langdon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.046  3.726 323.58                     0.065  6.312 102.28
 Qualified:            #11  3.967 236.01                        #4  3.699 322.42

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

Ashley with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He makes his quickest and fastest pass of the weekend for the win. He will have lane choice over Kalitta in the next round.

Langdon with tire shake right at the hit and pedaled it, he was back up in smoke and pedaled it again. He couldn't get the car to hook up and clicked it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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