Sun, 16 Aug 2009, 03:14 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 28th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  255 Clay Millican                           7 Brandon Bernstein            
E1                   0.061  3.974 293.09     ****WINNER****  0.074  3.886 313.80
 Qualified:             #9  3.974 302.62                        #8  3.965 304.05

Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 28.39 inches, adjusted altitude 3,701 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Bernstein is 7 - 5 against Millican in prior events. Millican is first out of the gate, but Bernstein has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Bernstein runs his quickest pass of the weekend, and top speed of the event for the win. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.188, 660ft-3.114/273.83 mph. Millican matched his qualifying time in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  421 Spencer Massey                        524 Joe Hartley                  
E1                   0.058  4.587 184.72     ****WINNER****  0.080  4.099 290.07
 Qualified:             #7  3.948 303.23                       #10  3.984 306.19

Hartley is 2 - 1 against Massey in prior events. Massey is out of the gate first, but then starts losing traction and Hartley drives by him for the win light. Hartley with the win moves within 24 points of Millican who is tenth in the point standings.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  121 Terry Haddock                           5 Antron Brown                 
E1                   0.116  4.070 258.32     ****WINNER****  0.073  3.872 313.00
 Qualified:            #11  4.035 289.07                        #6  3.947 304.46

This is the first time Haddock and Brown have faced each other in eliminations. Brown is facing his 83rd different driver. Haddock is dropping cylinders early and Brown runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  333 Shawn Langdon                          50 Doug Kalitta                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.040  3.966 286.07                     0.073  4.062 286.13
 Qualified:            #12  4.101 254.86                        #5  3.905 311.27

Langdon is 2 - 1 against Kalitta in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage and never trails for the win. Kalitta has a cylinder or two out right at the hit and never picks them back up. Langdon dropped some cylinders around half track and then pushed out a head gasket on the top end, but help on for the win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  323 Chris Karamesines                      34 Morgan Lucas                 
E1                   0.122  4.118 298.01     ****WINNER****  0.079  3.841 307.65
 Qualified:            #16  6.367  94.22                        #1  3.868 307.16

This is the first time Karamesines and Lucas have faced each other in eliminations. Lucas with a great looking pass as he runs low E.T. of the event for the win. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.160, 660ft-3.063/278.58 mph. Karamesines with his quickest pass of the event in a losing effort. Lucas will have lane choice over Bernstein in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5050 Scott Palmer                            2 Larry Dixon                  
E1                   0.129  4.222 217.42     ****WINNER****  0.079  3.837 314.68
 Qualified:            #15  5.224 136.65                        #2  3.886 304.60

Palmer is 1 - 0 against Dixon in prior events. Dixon with low E.T. of the event for the win. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.070/274.33 mph. He will have lane choice over Hartley in the next round. Palmer with his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                           1 Tony Schumacher              
E1                   0.094  5.461 123.26     ****WINNER****  0.119  3.844 310.91
 Qualified:            #14  4.157 270.97                        #3  3.893 308.71

Schumacher is 27 - 7 against Grubnic in prior events. Grubnic is out of the gate first, but then blisters the Goodyears around 330 feet and clicks it off. Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Tony Schumacher's MOV: 1.5922 seconds (more than 100 feet). He will have lane choice over Brown in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  300 Tim Cullinan                            3 Cory McClenathan             
E1                   0.118  4.201 264.39     ****WINNER****  0.106  3.850 318.32
 Qualified:            #13  4.122 286.62                        #4  3.899 306.74

Cullinan and McClenathan have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. McClenathan with the starting line advantage and then runs his quickest pass of the weekend and the fastest pass of the event. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.161, 660ft-3.086/275.73 mph. That is is the sixth fastest pass in the 1000-foot era. Cullinan was dropping cylinders right at the hit. McClenathan will have lane over Langdon in round two. "Countdown to 1" update- By virtue of Doug Kalitta and Clay Millican losing, Spencer Massey and Morgan Lucas each clinched berths in the "countdown to 1".

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink