Sun, 23 May 2010, 12:34 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Larry Dixon                            44 David Grubnic                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  3.853 315.19                     0.067  3.893 308.85
 Qualified:             #9  3.915 311.05                        #8  3.915 311.92

Dixon is 24 - 9 against Grubnic in prior events. Dixon will not have lane choice in round one for the first time in 41 races. Both of these guys have won this race, Dixon won it in 2003 and last year while Grubnic won it in 2005. They leave together with Dixon having a slight advantage and then he runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Grubnic ran his quickest pass in a losing effort. Larry Dixon's MOV: 0.0473 seconds (approximately 21 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Cory McClenathan                       34 Morgan Lucas                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.070  3.914 309.34                     0.087  4.095 265.80
 Qualified:             #7  3.904 312.13                       #10  3.946 305.91

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 70 percent, barometer 28.63 inches, adjusted altitude 3,966 feet, track temperature 89 degrees.

McClenathan is 10 - 6 against Lucas in prior events. This is the 19th time McClenathan has raced at the Summer Nationals here and he has started out of the top half 14 times and has won it two times. McClenathan with the starting line advantage and never trailed as he has good looking pass for the win. Lucas started to haze the tires on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  333 Shawn Langdon                          72 Mike Strasburg               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.057  3.971 276.18                     0.073  4.026 306.88
 Qualified:             #4  3.887 312.57                       #13  4.074 298.07

Langdon is 1 - 0 against Strasburg in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage and then has a little bang on the on the top end. Strasburg with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Antron Brown                          394 Luigi Novelli                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.074  3.851 314.68                     0.063  4.176 242.67
 Qualified:             #1  3.785 321.96                       #16  4.248 280.54

This is the 13th time Brown has qualified number one and the third time this year. Brown is 1 - 0 against Novelli in prior events. Novelli with the starting line advantage, but Brown has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Brown slows from his qualifying time, but still has the quickest pass of the round for the win. Strasburg with a quick flash of flame on the top end, but still runs his quickest pass of the weekend. Brown will have lane choice over Dixon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                          700 Steven Chrisman              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  3.843 317.34                     0.084  4.182 242.80
 Qualified:             #2  3.849 316.08                       #15  4.168 282.24

Kalitta is 3 - 0 against Chrisman in prior events. Kalitta won this race in 2006 and has three runner-ups. Kalitta with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Kalitta runs the quickest pass of the round. Chrisman's car made a quick move on the top end toward the centerline, but he keep it in his lane. Kalitta will have lane choice in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Brandon Bernstein                    5050 Scott Palmer                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.093  3.897 312.13                     0.067  4.278 215.93
 Qualified:             #3  3.886 312.13                       #14  4.148 281.83

Bernstein is 3 - 0 against Palmer in prior events. Palmer with the starting line advantage, but Bernstein has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Bernstein with a real nice pass for the win. Palmer started to haze the tires on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Schumacher                       142 Dom Lagana                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.093  3.861 316.60                     0.083  4.044 298.54
 Qualified:             #5  3.896 313.58                       #12  3.987 302.21

Schumacher is 1 - 0 against Lagana in prior events. Lagana with the starting line advantage, but Schumacher has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Lagana with a good clean pass, but slowed from his qualifying time in a losing effort. Schumacher will have lane choice over Langdon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  475 Steve Torrence                       3516 Terry McMillen               
E1                   0.079  3.994 303.50     ****WINNER****  0.094  3.917 307.86
 Qualified:             #6  3.902 305.91                       #11  3.957 303.30

Torrence is 2 - 0 against McMillen in prior events. Torrence with the starting line, but McMillen has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. McMillen with his quickest pass of the weekend to capture his second round win in NHRA competition. He will give up lane choice to Bernstein in the next round. Torrence slows from his qualifying time in the lost.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink