Sun, 31 Oct 2010, 02:54 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 10th annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  333 Shawn Langdon                           5 Brandon Bernstein            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.043  3.840 317.42                     0.078  4.470 169.40
 Qualified:             #9  3.891 315.19                        #8  3.885 302.55

Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 34 percent, barometer 28.04 inches, adjusted altitude 3,188 feet, track temperature 87 degrees.

Bernstein is 3 - 2 against Langdon in prior events. Langdon is out of the gate first and never trailed as he runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Bernstein started moving around on the top end and had the chutes out early. Langdon with the win moves in front of Bernstein in the point standings.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  317 T.J. Zizzo                              3 Antron Brown                 
E1                   0.098  3.887 306.40     ****WINNER****  0.066  3.896 309.91
 Qualified:             #7  3.884 312.21                       #10  3.911 311.27

Zizzo and Brown have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Brown with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Antron Brown's MOV: 0.0234 seconds (approximately 11 feet). Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Zizzo with another good pass until right in the lights when apparently he lost the engine but was just a few ticks off his qualifying time in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  142 Dom Lagana                            255 Clay Millican                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  3.910 313.29                     0.076  4.697 162.98
 Qualified:            #11  3.928 309.27                        #6  3.878 309.77

This is the first time Lagana and Millican have faced each other in eliminations. They leave together and Millican has the lead until around half track when the car started mixing up cylinders. Lagana with his career best E.T. and speed for the win. Dom Lagana's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.211, 660ft-3.136/272.94 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  323 Chris Karamesines                     475 Steve Torrence               
E1                   0.172  7.117  80.19     ****WINNER****  0.075  3.860 314.97
 Qualified:            #12  3.949 308.50                        #5  3.841 314.09

This is the first time Karamesines and Torrence have faced each other in eliminations. Torrence with the starting line advantage and was straight down the groove with a great looking pass for the win. Karamesines is up in around 330 feet to end his weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                        5050 Scott Palmer                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.121  3.846 317.49                     0.078  4.089 243.15
 Qualified:             #4  3.838 318.32                       #13  3.963 296.70

Grubnic is 4 - 1 against Palmer in prior events. Palmer with the starting line advantage, but Grubnic has the difference made up by 150 feet and blast on through for the win light. Grubnic driving the Technicoat colors today is just a few ticks off his qualifying, but will have lane choice over Torrence in the next round. Palmer started mixing up cylinders on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  497 Troy Buff                               2 Larry Dixon                  
E1                  -0.120  7.692  76.63     ****WINNER****  0.076  3.847 319.98
 Qualified:            #14  3.973 289.51                        #3  3.825 318.99

Dixon is 6 - 0 against Buff in prior events. Buff turned on the red light and then smoked the tires right off the starting line. Dixon with another good clean pass and he will have lane choice over Langdon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   12 Bob Vandergriff                         1 Tony Schumacher              
E1                   0.072  9.014  78.03     ****WINNER****  0.090  3.794 324.51
 Qualified:            #16  3.996 267.06                        #1  3.812 325.14

Schumacher is 17 - 5 against Vandergriff in prior events. Vandergriff with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit. Schumacher blast on through the 1000 feet and runs low E.T. and another big top end speed, the fourth fastest pass in the history of the 1000-foot era. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.046/280.66 mph. 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
  875 Mark Mariani                            4 Cory McClenathan             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.100  3.930 307.44                     0.103  4.312 181.52
 Qualified:            #15  3.986 286.92                        #2  3.822 321.50

They leave together and McClenathan has the lead until the car starts mixing up cylinders just past half track and Mariani drives back around him for the win. Mariani will give up lane choice to Brown in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink