Sun, 10 Feb 2008, 06:28 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  743 Morgan Lucas                          796 Cory McClenathan             
E3                   0.080  4.612 278.98     ****WINNER****  0.072  4.555 329.34
 Prior rounds:
E2    (H Will      ) 0.081  4.564 322.73      (A Brown     ) 0.064  4.530 329.34
E1    (B Vandergrif) 0.065  4.546 331.77      (B Bernstein ) 0.044  4.518 329.34
 Qualified:             #4  4.514 333.33                        #8  4.532 329.58

3:12 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 16 percent, barometer 28.92 inches, adjusted altitude 2,883 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

A really close race until near the lights. Cory Mac gets a 0.008 advantage off the line and holds Lucas off until near mid-track, where Lucas slowly drivers on by. The fuse was just too short on the Red and White car and the 0.001 advantage at 1000 feet goes away with the engine and the Fram car drives back on by for the car length win.

Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.086/274.94mph, 1,000ft-3.873
Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.175, 660ft-3.101/271.46mph, 1,000ft-3.880

Cory McClenathan's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.004), 330 ft(0.007), 660ft(-0.007), 1,000ft(0.001). MOV: 0.0657 seconds (approximately 27 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                             1 Tony Schumacher              
E3                   0.055  4.573 317.27     ****WINNER****  0.081  4.510 329.75
 Prior rounds:
E2    (R Fuller    ) 0.054  4.551 310.05      (D Herbert   ) 0.078  4.511 331.45
E1    (T Buff      ) 0.079  4.512 331.61      (D Kalitta   ) 0.077  4.508 328.30
 Qualified:             #2  4.497 325.14                        #3  4.513 331.53

...and another low four-fifty pass puts the Alan Johnson tuned Army car into the finals with lane choice. Dixon gets a nice advantage off the line and stays out front until after half-track, where the black car drives on by.

Tony Schumacher's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.021), 330 ft(-0.004), 660ft(-0.003), 1,000ft(0.013). MOV: 0.0373 seconds (approximately 17 feet).>The big top end power ensures an all DSR final for the first time since November 2006.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink