Sun, 12 Nov 2006, 04:31 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 42nd annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Morgan Lucas                          507 Melanie Troxel               
E2                   0.089  4.616 305.56     ****WINNER****  0.055  4.521 329.02
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Grubnic   ) 0.083  4.685 272.67      (S Torrence  ) 0.074  4.553 323.66
 Qualified:            #12  4.567 324.75                        #4  4.485 329.83

1:10 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 36 percent, barometer 29.19 inches, adjusted altitude 1,931 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Lucan only gained 5 precious points for his first round win towards getting into the top ten. His oil down cost him 15 points and $4000. His hopes are dashed when the engine starts to drop cylinders at mid-track. Troxel continues to show her early season performance and just puts a final nail in Lucas' coffin.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                             7 Brandon Bernstein            
E2                   0.081 10.812  94.81     ****WINNER****  0.072  4.496 330.07
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C McClenatha) 0.028  4.535 323.04      (M Strasburg ) 0.078  4.508 330.15
 Qualified:             #6  4.508 331.12                        #3  4.473 330.15

This will be the last time the "Beer Wagons" meet in TF. The Miller Lite Team's swan song comes form smoking tires at the hit. Bernstein puts the Red Car into the four forties again with a good leave, ET, and speed.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Rod Fuller                              1 Tony Schumacher              
E2                   0.066  4.953 210.80     ****WINNER****  0.065  4.475 328.38
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Herbert   ) 0.072  4.544 327.35      (D Baca      ) 0.067  4.489 328.38
 Qualified:             #7  4.509 323.89                        #2  4.458 328.46

Lane choice is important for Schumacher's hopes for the championship. The US Army car is first off the line by .001 and pulls away to run another four forty. The usually strong Fuller, has problems, as there are flashes of fire from the engine at mid-track and the Valvoline dragster slows.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  373 J.R. Todd                               3 Doug Kalitta                 
E2                   0.039 11.829  84.73     ****WINNER****  0.090  4.580 330.96
 Prior rounds:
E1    (H Will      ) 0.060  4.534 325.53      (A Bradshaw  ) 0.047  4.482 331.77
 Qualified:             #8  4.515 324.28                        #1  4.452 328.22

Kalitta can't afford to make any kind of mistake this round. He has to pedal it off the line, but reins the big red car back in to ensure the win. Todd is off the line first, but the tune up is too strong for the slippery left lane. The Skull Shine dragster's tires are up in smoke before the 330 lights.

1:22 p.m. Schumacher has lane choice over Bernstein, but Troxel will have lane choice over Kalitta in round three. This may be decisive.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink