Sun, 25 Jul 2010, 04:24 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MORRISON, Colo. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 31st annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Brandon Bernstein                       2 Larry Dixon                  
E3   ****WINNER****  0.045  4.003 300.13                     0.070  4.440 195.14
 Prior rounds:
E2    (A Brown     ) 0.055  3.975 303.03      (T Schumacher) 0.054  3.966 301.94
E1    (C McClenatha) 0.079  3.962 301.54      (M Lucas     ) 0.054  3.963 301.27
 Qualified:             #8  3.992 296.11                        #5  3.974 295.66

Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 33 percent, barometer 24.27 inches, adjusted altitude 9,637 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.

Bernstein and Dixon have each won 17 times against the other in prior events and they each have won four times against the other in prior semifinal match ups. Bernstein with a great light and never trailed to take the win light. dixon started to haze the tires just past the 330-foot mark. We will have a first time winner this season, now.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                          552 Rod Fuller                   
E3   ****WINNER****  0.076  3.967 306.40                     0.077  4.007 302.82
 Prior rounds:
E2    (S Torrence  ) 0.062  3.936 310.48      (D Grubnic   ) 0.071  4.549 191.21
E1    (T McMillen  ) 0.062  3.920 311.63      (S Langdon   ) 0.050  3.981 304.25
 Qualified:             #2  3.962 308.21                       #11  4.113 280.66

Fuller is 12 - 7 against Kalitta in prior events. They leave together and then Fuller starts dropping cylinders around 400 feet. Kalitta starts mixing up cylinders right in the lights, but holds on for the win. Kalitta will have lane choice over Bernstein in the final.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink