Sun, 1 Apr 2007, 05:28 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                           345 Bruce Litton                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.057  4.620 311.92                     0.018  4.686 312.13
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Kalitta   ) 0.048  4.626 309.06      (R Fuller    ) 0.081  4.703 303.37
 Qualified:             #6  4.597 313.44                       #14  4.658 312.78

4:11 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 85 percent, barometer 29.95 inches, adjusted altitude 1,238 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

This is a rematch of round two at Gainesville, where Dixon got the win light. Dixon enjoys a 7-0 record against Litton.

Litton may have been staged deeper than Dixon because Dixon led at the 60-foot marker and then pulled away. Good runs in both lanes, but Dixon advances and Litton heads for home. Larry Dixon's incremental margins: 60ft(0.008), 330 ft(0.025), 660ft(0.028), 1,000ft(0.029). MOV: 0.0271 seconds (approximately 12 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 J.R. Todd                               4 Melanie Troxel               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.065  4.642 314.24                     0.053  6.039 201.19
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Millican  ) 0.048  4.597 307.58      (A Bradshaw  ) 0.073  4.623 314.39
 Qualified:             #7  4.618 311.77                        #2  4.530 323.89

Todd enjoys a 4-1 record against Troxel and had lane choice here, but Troxel won in this lane in round one.

Troxel had a small starting line advantage, but lost traction about 100 feet out, and Todd went right down the lane. However, he lost lane choice to Dixon for their semifinals matchup.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   73 Whit Bazemore                         524 Joe Hartley                  
E2                   0.078  6.621 133.68     ****WINNER****  0.081  4.894 253.18
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C McClenatha) 0.069  4.559 320.05      (H Will      ) 0.059  4.820 246.57
 Qualified:             #1  4.514 326.87                        #9  4.631 312.42

Hartley is Bazemore's 73rd different opponent.

For the first time his Top Fuel career, Hartley is going to the semifinals. Bazemore lost traction in the first ten feet, then dropped a bunch of cylinders. Hartley dropped a cylinder or two also, but kept the tires stuck to get a big upset win, sending the 31 qualfier home. After his run, the sweeper truck made a couple laps around the finish line in Hartley's lane, where it appeared he chewed up the blower belt.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Brandon Bernstein                       6 David Grubnic                
E2                   0.070  5.216 187.52     ****WINNER****  0.077  4.918 296.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Schumacher) 0.034  4.553 322.58      (M Lucas     ) 0.074  4.620 317.42
 Qualified:            #12  4.649 310.34                       #13  4.650 309.91

Bernstein pulled away and was way ahead to half track, then appeared to lose the blower belt with lots of raw fuel from the headers. Grubnic shook the tires early and pedaled it, recovering to pass Bernstein past the 1,000-foot marker and win going away. Hartley has lane choice against Grubnic in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink