Sun, 2 Oct 2005, 04:17 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fifth annual Ameriquest Mortgage NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Doug Herbert                            4 Scott Kalitta                
E3   ****WINNER****  0.078  4.544 317.57                    -0.053  9.228  75.91
 Prior rounds:
E2    (C Millican  ) 0.111  4.583 324.44      (T Cullinan  ) 0.095  4.617 324.75
E1    (J Smith     ) 0.084  4.581 323.74      (L Dixon     ) 0.079  4.541 327.35
 Qualified:             #3  4.480 325.30                       #10  4.548 324.75

3:05 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.87 inches, adjusted altitude 1,689 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.

Kalitta leaves too early, then strikes the tires about 200 feet out. Herbert goes right down the groove and makes his quickest pass of the day.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Brandon Bernstein                       1 Tony Schumacher              
E3                   0.091  7.716 103.39     ****WINNER****  0.093  4.510 323.97
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Grubnic   ) 0.100  4.507 325.22      (M Lucas     ) 0.086  4.508 327.03
E1    (J Beckman   ) 0.089  4.540 328.22      (B Lagana Jr ) 0.100  4.526 328.46
 Qualified:             #5  4.492 322.65                        #1  4.437 331.77

Bernstein gets about 400 feet out, strikes the tires, then gives up on the run. Schumacher will have lane choice over Herbert in the finals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink