Sun, 16 Nov 2008, 06:46 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, 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   91 Larry Dixon                           796 Cory McClenathan             
E3   ****WINNER****  0.074  3.855 309.98                     0.086  3.874 309.77
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Herbert   ) 0.069  3.868 314.17      (T Buff      ) 0.085  3.880 312.57
E1    (C Millican  ) 0.061  3.866 312.57      (D Kalitta   ) 0.043  3.878 313.00
 Qualified:             #2  3.831 309.70                        #6  3.855 314.31

3:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 16 percent, barometer 28.92 inches, adjusted altitude 2,937 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.

Dixon is 33 - 19 against McClenathan in prior events. The winner of the round will clinch second place for the 2008 season and Hillary Will will go to fourth place. Great race to the finish line. McClenanthan's dragster moves continually towards the center line and he finally crosses over after the 1000-ft. lights. Dixon is away first and pulls ahead to the six-sixty foot lights. Cory Mac start to catch back, but doesn't have enough race track to seal the deal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  111 Urs Erbacher                            2 Rod Fuller                   
E3                   0.020  3.991 282.36     ****WINNER****  0.079  3.851 312.64
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B Bernstein ) 0.198  3.926 309.84      (T Schumacher) 0.043  3.862 313.66
E1    (J Todd      ) 0.083  3.887 316.67      (S Torrence  ) 0.056  3.838 314.83
 Qualified:            #13  3.904 309.20                        #8  3.862 310.34

Erbacher is way ahead at the green and stays out in front for about a hundred feet. Fuller takes the Big Cat power on past him and into a strong finish. He will also have lane choice over Dixon in the finals.

3:25 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink