Sun, 18 Jul 2010, 04:48 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Brandon Bernstein                      72 Mike Strasburg               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.061  3.928 305.91                     0.112  4.113 254.09
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Buff      ) 0.082  4.009 296.50      (R Fuller    ) 0.111  3.982 307.44
 Qualified:             #6  3.912 307.23                       #14  4.042 300.20

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 50 percent, barometer 29.88 inches, adjusted altitude 2,098 feet, track temperature 114 degrees.

Bernstein is 2 - 1 against Strasburg in prior events. Bernstein with a big starting line advantage and blast on through the 1000 feet to take the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3516 Terry McMillen                          1 Tony Schumacher              
E2                  -0.062  4.003 292.90     ****WINNER****  0.092  3.930 310.70
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Brown     ) 0.102  4.285 240.85      (M Lucas     ) 0.079  3.883 317.19
 Qualified:            #15  4.066 282.01                        #7  3.926 305.98

Schumacher is 3 - 0 against McMillen in prior events. McMillen is too quick on the tree and turns on the red light. Schumacher with another nice clean pass for the win. Schumacher will give up lane choice to Bernstein by 0.002 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Cory McClenathan                       22 Doug Kalitta                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.064  3.977 288.15                     0.076  4.414 264.29
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Vandergrif) 0.119  3.913 310.91      (S Langdon   ) 0.077  3.883 317.94
 Qualified:             #4  3.896 309.06                        #5  3.899 309.49

Kalitta is 25 - 18 against McClenathan in prior events. McClenathan with the starting line advantage and then started mixing up cylinders on the top end with a lot of engine smoke. Kalitta was up in smoke early and pedaled it and back up in smoke.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  475 Steve Torrence                          2 Larry Dixon                  
E2                   0.067  4.694 201.73     ****WINNER****  0.103  3.878 315.34
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Grubnic   ) 0.080  3.913 310.20      (S Chrisman  ) 0.060  3.840 319.75
 Qualified:             #8  3.943 305.08                        #1  3.839 317.79

Dixon is 3 - 0 against Torrence in prior events. Torrence with the starting line advantage, but was up in smoke by 200 feet....Dixon with the quickest pass of the round for the win. He will have lane choice over McClenathan in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink