Mon, 5 Sep 2005, 02:35 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 51st annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  507 Melanie Troxel                          8 Doug Herbert                 
E2                  -0.181  7.910  97.40     ****WINNER****  0.006  4.599 318.32
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Kalitta   ) 0.098  4.591 320.58      (J Hartley   ) 0.117  4.575 321.50
 Qualified:            #10  4.565 326.48                        #2  4.463 326.56

1:18 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.83 inches, adjusted altitude 1,529 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Herbert came in with a 3-1 record against Troxel and a decided performance edge here. The race was over early, Melanie obviously taking a shot at the tree, then smoking the tires and fishtailing several times.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                             7 Cory McClenathan             
E2   ****WINNER****  0.046  4.557 326.79                     0.078 10.420  87.94
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Weis      ) 0.073  4.606 324.59      (T Zizzo     ) 0.071  4.565 325.06
 Qualified:             #6  4.510 326.71                        #3  4.497 328.14

This is the 41st time these two have faced off in eliminations, Dixon holding a 25-15 edge before today. Cory Mac had lane choice, but it didn't help, he was up in smoke immediately. meanwhile, don't bet against Dick LaHaie on race day, Dixon's run was flawless, the car streaking right down the groove. Nobody has "run over his dog" so far today, Dixon is in the semifinals and he has lane choice against Herbert.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 David Grubnic                           2 Doug Kalitta                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.077  6.580 123.85                    -0.013 10.525  83.98
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Bernstein ) 0.084  5.250 248.02      (C Millican  ) 0.072  4.540 328.62
 Qualified:            #13  4.613 324.67                        #5  4.510 327.51

Talk about a shocker!! Doug Kalitta "yipped," double-hitting the throttle early and redlighting, then smoking the tires. Grubnic's engine went dead at half track - but the only way Doug would have been the winner would be if Grubnic had crossed the centerline, and he did not do that.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                       552 Rod Fuller                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.094  4.541 326.71                     0.074  4.591 325.69
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Beckman   ) 0.093  4.536 320.89      (M Lucas     ) 0.078  4.562 321.73
 Qualified:             #1  4.459 329.18                        #8  4.520 325.61

These two have met four times, Schumacher winning three of them. Make it 4-1, Fuller leading for the first 60 feet, Schumacher then leading the rest of the way. It was a good drag race, but Fuller could not reel in Schumacher's U.S. Army dragster. Tony Schumacher's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.009), 330 ft(0.012), 660ft(0.024), 1,000ft(0.027). MOV: 0.0306 seconds (approximately 15 feet). That puts Schumacher in the points lead - he was tied with Doug Kalitta after qualifying was completed

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink