Sun, 30 Jul 2006, 05:43 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  763 Hillary Will                           91 Larry Dixon                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.075  4.725 301.67                     0.063  4.959 268.49
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Troxel    ) 0.046  4.976 236.13      (B Bernstein ) 0.076  4.994 293.98
 Qualified:             #7  4.597 322.27                       #15  4.711 323.89

Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 30.09 inches,adjusted altitude 1,426 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

This is the second time these two have raced and Dixon won the first time they raced. Dixon was out of the gate first and then he had a little tire shake and a quick pedal job, but it was all Will by then. She had a whisp of tire smoke on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Rod Fuller                              3 Doug Kalitta                 
E2                   0.074  4.918 320.20     ****WINNER****  0.031  4.943 283.25
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Herbert   ) 0.074  4.612 324.44      (D Baca      ) 0.062  4.796 298.01
 Qualified:             #4  4.569 326.40                        #5  4.582 326.48

Kalitta has a four to two advantage in head to head match ups. Kalitta with a great light and then around half track has some tire smoke and he drives through it. He has more tire smoke and is dropping cylinders on the top end, but held on for a hole shot win. Doug Kalitta's MOV: 0.0187 seconds (approximately 9 feet). Fuller with a good pass, but just can't catch Kalitta.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 David Grubnic                         373 J.R. Todd                    
E2                   0.089  5.410 192.25     ****WINNER****  0.090  5.152 270.81
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C McClenatha) 0.118  4.606 321.58      (A Bradshaw  ) 0.093  4.690 295.08
 Qualified:             #3  4.554 331.36                        #6  4.586 321.19

They leave together and then they start strike the tires about the same time and the pedal fest is on. They are both off and back on the throttle at least three times and Todd gets the win. Grubnic's car just couldn't get to hook back up. Todd will give up lane choice to Will in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                        12 Bob Vandergriff              
E2   ****WINNER****  0.077  4.570 328.86                     0.081  5.221 235.39
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Chrisman  ) 0.110  4.549 328.22      (M Lucas     ) 0.137  4.844 296.11
 Qualified:             #1  4.486 326.48                        #9  4.607 321.12

Schumacher with a nine to three advantage in head to head match ups. Vandergriff started to smoke the tires at half track and all he could do was watch Schumacher run the quickest pass of round two. He will have lane choice over Kalitta in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink