Sun, 16 Aug 2009, 04:52 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 2 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
  333 Shawn Langdon                           3 Cory McClenathan             
E2                   0.054  5.782 114.47     ****WINNER****  0.103  3.811 315.56
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Kalitta   ) 0.040  3.966 286.07      (T Cullinan  ) 0.106  3.850 318.32
 Qualified:            #12  4.101 254.86                        #4  3.899 306.74

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 66 percent, barometer 28.45 inches, adjusted altitude 3,375 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

McClenathan is 3 - 1 against Langdon in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage, but then has a lot of tire shake and and then smoke the tires around 200 feet. McClenathan with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Antron Brown                            1 Tony Schumacher              
E2   ****WINNER****  0.061  3.841 318.69                     0.065  3.841 314.97
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Haddock   ) 0.073  3.872 313.00      (D Grubnic   ) 0.119  3.844 310.91
 Qualified:             #6  3.947 304.46                        #3  3.893 308.71

Schumacher is 7 - 4 against Brown in prior events. This was a great drag race. Brown with a slight starting line advantage and then they run identical E.T.s, Brown wins on a hole shot. Antron Brown's MOV: 0.0047 seconds (approximately 2 feet). Brown with the third fastest pass of the 1000-foot era. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.078/277.37 mph.
Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.074/276.75 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brandon Bernstein                      34 Morgan Lucas                 
E2                   0.091  3.900 311.34     ****WINNER****  0.075  3.833 308.99
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Millican  ) 0.074  3.886 313.80      (C Karamesine) 0.079  3.841 307.65
 Qualified:             #8  3.965 304.05                        #1  3.868 307.16

Bernstein is 8 - 5 against Lucas in prior events. Lucas with the starting line advantage and then runs his quickest E.T. in the 1000-foot era for the win. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.059/278.17 mph. He will give up lane choice to McClenathan in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  524 Joe Hartley                             2 Larry Dixon                  
E2                   0.079  5.926 108.71     ****WINNER****  0.047  3.847 316.01
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Massey    ) 0.080  4.099 290.07      (S Palmer    ) 0.079  3.837 314.68
 Qualified:            #10  3.984 306.19                        #2  3.886 304.60

Dixon is 5 - 1 against Hartley in prior events. Dixon with the starting line advantage and never trails for the win. Hartley was dropping cylinders as soon as he hit the throttle and then started to smoke the tires before he lifted. Dixon will give up lane choice to Brown in the semifinal by 0.006 seconds. With Hartley losing here, Shawn Langdon secures his spot in the "Countdown to 1".

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink