Sun, 1 Jun 2008, 02:18 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Brandon Bernstein                      91 Larry Dixon                  
E2                   0.070  4.698 309.70     ****WINNER****  0.038  4.691 302.14
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Todd      ) 0.069  4.625 311.99                     0.066  4.630 308.85
 Qualified:             #8  4.623 324.75                        #1  4.527 325.30

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 58 percent, barometer 28.82 inches, adjusted altitude 3,553 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Bernstein is 14 - 7 against Dixon in prior events, and holds a 7 -4 advantage when they meet in round two. Dixon with the starting line advantage and a great looking pass for the win. Larry Dixon's MOV: 0.0392 seconds (approximately 18 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  123 Antron Brown                          524 Joe Hartley                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.065  4.617 318.99                     0.078 12.117  82.84
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Grubnic   ) 0.048  4.612 294.50      (D Kalitta   ) 0.065  4.727 311.85
 Qualified:             #4  4.584 292.77                       #12  4.653 314.83

Hartley lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle and he coasted on through the 1320. Brown blasted right down the groove for the win and lane choice against Dixon in semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   48 Hillary Will                          743 Morgan Lucas                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.087  4.757 292.58                     0.067  4.780 278.52
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Herbert   ) 0.065  4.633 310.91      (R Fuller    ) 0.061  4.749 305.98
 Qualified:            #11  4.649 285.35                       #14  4.728 283.37

Lucas is 6 - 1 against Will in prior events, and he beat her the only time they met in round two. Lucas with the starting line advantage, but she was able to chase him down by 400 feet and then took the win by 0.0031 seconds (approximately 15 inches). This was a great drag race.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  796 Cory McClenathan                        1 Tony Schumacher              
E2   ****WINNER****  0.069  4.660 307.51                     0.030  5.657 165.01
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Vandergrif) 0.051  4.587 314.46      (A Bradshaw  ) 0.053  5.862 235.97
 Qualified:             #2  4.565 323.04                        #7  4.622 305.91

Schumacher with a great light, but then strikes the tires and pedals it, but can't get it to hook up. McClenathan with another great looking pass and he will have lane choice over Will in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink