Sun, 16 Aug 2009, 06:04 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 3 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
    2 Larry Dixon                             5 Antron Brown                 
E3   ****WINNER****  0.051  3.827 311.34                     0.042  4.682 163.95
 Prior rounds:
E2    (J Hartley   ) 0.047  3.847 316.01      (T Schumacher) 0.061  3.841 318.69
E1    (S Palmer    ) 0.079  3.837 314.68      (T Haddock   ) 0.073  3.872 313.00
 Qualified:             #2  3.886 304.60                        #6  3.947 304.46

Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 28.47 inches, adjusted altitude 3,490 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

Dixon is 5 - 3 against Brown in prior events. Brown with a slight starting line advantage, but Dixon has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Dixon with another great pass, his quickest pass of the event. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.151, 660ft-3.060/279.50 mph. Brown started to chatter the tires was up in smoke around 400 feet to end his streak at 14 consecutive round wins.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Morgan Lucas                            3 Cory McClenathan             
E3   ****WINNER****  0.082  3.831 302.01                     0.091  3.846 316.45
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B Bernstein ) 0.075  3.833 308.99      (S Langdon   ) 0.103  3.811 315.56
E1    (C Karamesine) 0.079  3.841 307.65      (T Cullinan  ) 0.106  3.850 318.32
 Qualified:             #1  3.868 307.16                        #4  3.899 306.74

McClenathan is 9 - 5 against Lucas in prior events. Both of these guys ran their career best E.T.s at a 1000 feet. Lucas is first out of the gate and never trails with another career best pass for the win. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.042/276.58 mph. Morgan Lucas' MOV: 0.0242 seconds (approximately 11 feet). McClenathan another good looking pass in the lost with big top end speed. Dixon will have lane choice over Lucas in the final.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink