Mon, 5 Sep 2011, 02:14 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brandon Bernstein                      12 Bob Vandergriff              
E2   ****WINNER****  0.055  3.846 317.49                     0.086  3.841 322.73
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Zizzo     ) 0.088  3.860 314.39      (T Schumacher) 0.074  3.896 314.90
 Qualified:             #3  3.846 318.99                       #11  3.905 316.01

1:51 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 46 percent, barometer 29.09 inches, adjusted altitude 1,985 feet, track temperature 83 degrees.

Bernstein is 11 - 1 against Vandergriff in prior events, 2 - 0 in round two. This is a critical round for Vandergriff because he is 19 points behind David Grubnic and a round win would put Vandergriff into the Countdown. Maybe.

On a holeshot, Bernstein slams the countdown door shut for Vandergriff. Brandon Bernstein's incremental margins: 60ft(0.035), 330 ft(0.043), 660ft(0.036). MOV: 0.0263 seconds (approximately 12 feet).

Vandergriff runs career-best numbers, but that's no consolation.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Larry Dixon                           421 Spencer Massey               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.064  3.813 322.27                     0.050  3.841 321.12
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Grubnic   ) 0.051  3.850 316.01      (B Kalivoda  ) 0.060  3.852 318.39
 Qualified:             #5  3.850 319.60                        #4  3.848 321.19

Massey is 6 - 4 against Dixon in prior events, 2 - 0 in round 2.

Massey left first, but Dixon was right there and edged ahead on the top end for a close decision.

Larry Dixon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.007), 330 ft(-0.010), 660ft(0.007). MOV: 0.0147 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Antron Brown                           22 Doug Kalitta                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.066  3.842 318.99                     0.062 No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Langdon   ) 0.054  3.829 317.42      (M Lucas     ) 0.075  3.929 304.25
 Qualified:             #1  3.818 322.96                        #8  3.888 318.54

Brown is 14 - 6 against Kalitta in prior events, but they are 4 - 4 in round two races.

Kalitta lede early, past 330 feet, but Brown stuck the nose of his car out front at the 660-foot marker and held on for the win.

Antron Brown's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.006), 330 ft(-0.010), 660ft(0.003). MOV: 0.0179 seconds (approximately 8 feet).

Brown won't have lane choice when he faces Dixon in the semifinals.

There's oil in Kalitta's lane again. He loses 20 points, $2k, and he loses the run.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   99 Del Worsham                          3516 Terry McMillen               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.089  3.813 322.58                     0.076  4.107 228.42
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Buff      ) 0.072  3.825 320.58      (R Fuller    )       No Time      
 Qualified:             #2  3.836 321.12                       #10  3.893 317.64

This is a big round for McMillen - if he wins (and doesn't oil the track), he's in the countdown. If he loses, David Grubnic is in the countdown. This is the first time McMillen and Worsham have faced each other in eliminations.

McMillen was first to move, but Worsham led at 60 feet and steadily pulled away for the win, matching Larry Dixon's ET. He will have lane choice against Bernstein in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink