Sun, 22 Feb 2009, 03:20 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Morgan Lucas                            5 Antron Brown                 
E2                   0.092  3.898 302.55     ****WINNER****  0.074  3.885 303.78
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Baca      ) 0.064  4.287 228.58      (D Cox Jr    ) 0.088  3.977 232.39
 Qualified:             #6  3.879 306.46                        #3  3.830 313.80

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 23 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,549 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Lucas and Brown have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Brown with the starting line advantage and never looked back for the win light. Both cars got real loose on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                       333 Shawn Langdon                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  4.038 262.08                     0.060  7.779  80.73
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Buff      ) 0.090  7.997  77.94      (C Millican  ) 0.070  3.876 312.93
 Qualified:             #2  3.826 314.46                        #7  3.888 305.63

Langdon was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle, he tried to pedal it, but couldn't get it to hook up. Schumacher is mixing up cylinders on the top end, but takes the win. He will give up lane choice to Brown in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brandon Bernstein                     421 Spencer Massey               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.073  3.844 310.05                     0.067  5.416 130.53
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Hartley   ) 0.059  3.890 306.33      (M Strasburg ) -0.081  3.847 309.42
 Qualified:             #5  3.875 308.07                        #4  3.847 310.27

Massey with the slight starting line advantage but was up in smoke by 200 feet. Bernstein with the quickest pass of the session and his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                            2 Larry Dixon                  
E2                   0.126  3.883 309.34     ****WINNER****  0.093  3.802 317.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C McClenatha) 0.074  3.845 313.00      (T Haddock   ) 0.158  3.815 313.73
 Qualified:             #8  3.897 307.86                        #1  3.807 313.95

Dixon is 26 - 25 against Kalitta in prior events, but Kalitta holds a 10-8 advantage in round two meetings. Dixon with a great pass here, first off the line and then runs low E.T. of the event and fastest mph of the event for the win. That mph ties Doug Herbert for tenth fastest in the 1000-foot era. Dixon will have lane choice against Bernstein. Kalitta with a good clean pass in a losing effort.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink