Sun, 19 Apr 2009, 08:52 PM Top Fuel Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

COMMERCE, Ga. - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  421 Spencer Massey                         34 Morgan Lucas                 
E4                   0.059  5.418 145.25     ****WINNER****  0.049  5.231 162.86
 Prior rounds:
E3    (T Schumacher) 0.056  3.865 312.13      (C McClenatha) 0.068  3.875 309.70
E2    (S Langdon   ) 0.061  3.851 312.71      (B Vandergrif) 0.085  3.875 309.42
E1    (T Buff      ) 0.069  3.891 307.51      (J Hartley   ) 0.111  3.860 310.27
 Qualified:             #1  3.820 311.20                        #3  3.844 308.21

8:42 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 74 percent, barometer 29.10 inches, adjusted altitude 2,213 feet, track temperature 73 degrees.

Lucas is in his sixth final round. This is Massey's first final round - in fact, this is the first time he has been past the second round and he only had one Top Fuel round win before today. These two have never raced each other before: Massey is Lucas' 34th different opponent, Lucas is Massey's eighth. In fact, Massey has never faced any of his four opponents today in any prior event in Top Fuel. Massey is in his 7th race, Lucas his 107th. Both drivers have recorded several divisional and national event wins in Top Alcohol Dragster, Massey winning here in '07 and '08. However, no matter which driver wins, it will be their first-ever Top Fuel "Wally."

This promised to be a close race, turned into a pedaling contest,both drivers on and off the throttle at least four times, Massey getting very sideways. In the end, Lucas had more momentum and coasted across the line first by a couple car lengths. Morgan Lucas' incremental margins: 60ft(0.010), 330 ft(0.013), 660ft(0.020). MOV: 0.1978 seconds (approximately 42 feet).

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink