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Sun, 16 Jul 2006, 02:37 PM

Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MORRISON, Colo. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 27th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Rod Fuller                             13 David Baca                   
E1                   0.103  5.237 256.94     ****WINNER****  0.098  5.171 268.49
 Qualified:             #8  4.673 316.60                        #9  4.703 308.71

Weather conditions: air temperature 93 degrees, relative humidity 24 percent, barometer 24.87 inches,adjusted altitude 7,939 feet, track temperature 133 degrees.
This is Baca's 100 round of competition and 66th Pro start, and Fuller's record coming into this race is 29 and 28.

Baca is out of the gate first and then about half track they both start to haze the tires and they both pedaled it and Baca got hook up better than Fuller and takes home the win. Baca must off used up the engine as he had oil in lane but he had a free one in the bank.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  763 Hillary Will                           12 Bob Vandergriff              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.089  4.992 291.19                     0.101  5.201 259.21
 Qualified:             #7  4.662 318.69                       #10  4.704 311.41

This is Will's 13th straight start and her eighth in the top half of the field. Will is straight down the groove for the win as Vandergriff started to loose traction early and never did get it to hook up.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                             6 Doug Herbert                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.096  4.835 307.65                     0.070  5.007 276.75
 Qualified:             #6  4.654 314.90                       #11  4.739 305.29

Dixon holds a 23 to 7 advantage in head to head match ups. Herbert with a starting line advantage and then has a whisp of tire smoke around half track while Dixon had the difference made up early and drove away for the win light.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brandon Bernstein                      72 Mike Strasburg               
E1                   0.175  5.274 215.72     ****WINNER****  0.156  5.194 273.83
 Qualified:             #3  4.640 324.28                       #14  4.902 254.38

Strasburg left first and had cylinders out right at the hit and then started to smoke the tires. Bernstein had the difference made up early and then was dropping cylinders and he too then went up in smoke. Bernstein's car then just slowed, might have lost a blower belt. Strasburg was able to chase him down right around 1200 feet. Mike Strasburg's MOV: 0.0994 seconds (approximately 31 feet). Strasburg will give up lane choice to Dixon in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  373 J.R. Todd                               9 Cory McClenathan             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  5.488 265.06                     0.114  5.523 219.61
 Qualified:             #2  4.638 316.45                       #15  5.140 302.28

Todd with the starting line advantage and then is up in smoke right off the starting line and Todd is completely off the throttle and then pedals it a couple more times as he chases down McClenathan. Cory with the lead, but then the engine really started mixing up cylinders and Todd was able to drive around him about 1200 feet. J.R. Todd's MOV: 0.0682 seconds (approximately 22 feet). Todd will give up lane choice to Will in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                         5 Morgan Lucas                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.102  4.802 321.04                     0.086  4.930 289.76
 Qualified:             #4  4.642 321.96                       #13  4.854 288.15

Schumacher with a great looking pass, the quickest of the first round to take the win light for five straight round wins. Tony Schumacher's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.007), 330 ft(-0.011), 660ft(0.006), 1,000ft(0.051). MOV: 0.1129 seconds (approximately 48 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 David Grubnic                         507 Melanie Troxel               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.100  4.847 304.19                     0.087  5.247 220.44
 Qualified:             #5  4.643 327.82                       #12  4.785 312.42

This is a big match up as Grubnic can really help his teammate here. Troxel is out of the gate first and then starts dropping cylinders. Grubnic grabs the lead around 400 feet and drives away for the win and puts the points leader on the trailer. Grubnic will give up lane choice to Schumacher in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Doug Kalitta                         5050 Scott Palmer                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  4.937 302.89                     0.112  6.283 151.95
 Qualified:             #1  4.631 319.60                       #16  5.563 176.47

Kalitta can take the points lead here with a win and he does that when Palmer is up in smoke right off the starting line. Kalitta with a real nice pass and he will have lane choice in the next round against Baca. By my calculations Kalitta now has a two point lead over Troxel.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink