Sun, 14 Feb 2010, 04:44 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                          497 Troy Buff                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.065  3.929 309.84                     0.079  7.715  84.99
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T McMillen  ) 0.107  4.518 254.14      (M Lucas     ) 0.019  3.950 295.85
 Qualified:             #4  3.822 317.72                       #12  3.950 286.01

Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 28 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,757 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Kalitta is 1 - 0 against Buff in prior events. Kalitta was out of the gate first and never trail as Buff was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Kalitta was straight down the groove for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                         3 Antron Brown                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.059  3.923 302.69                     0.051  4.535 196.99
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Karamesine) 0.242  7.838  73.37      (S Torrence  ) 0.052  3.883 314.61
 Qualified:             #3  3.801 320.05                       #11  3.869 313.73

Schumacher is 8 - 7 against Brown in prior events. Brown with a slight starting line advantage, but strikes the tires before he gets to the 330-foot mark and pedals it, but loses traction again...Schumacher with a good clean pass, straight down the groove to move into the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  333 Shawn Langdon                           4 Cory McClenathan             
E2                   0.056  3.916 306.74     ****WINNER****  0.083  3.855 314.39
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Grubnic   ) 0.044  3.855 315.93      (S Faria     ) 0.068  3.843 318.77
 Qualified:             #8  3.847 309.98                        #1  3.787 320.05

McClenathan is 5 - 2 against Langdon in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage, but McClenathan has the difference made up by 100 feet and then runs low E.T. of the round for the win. McClenathan will have lane choice over Kalitta in the semifinal. Langdon with a nice pass in the losing effort, and that pass would of been quick enough to win the previous two races...Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.134/273.16 mph.
Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.085/275.39 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Brandon Bernstein                       2 Larry Dixon                  
E2                   0.070  3.929 309.34     ****WINNER****  0.101  3.854 316.82
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Nataas    ) 0.082  3.887 312.64      (S Chrisman  ) 0.100  3.799 318.99
 Qualified:            #10  3.863 312.13                        #2  3.788 314.39

Bernstein is 17 - 13 against Dixon in prior events. Bernstein with the starting line advantage, but dixon has him chased down by 250 feet and then blast on through the 1000 feet for the win. Dixon with the quickest pass of the round and he will have lane choice over Schumacher in the semifinal. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.201, 660ft-3.142/268.76 mph.
Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.088/275.56 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink