Sun, 23 Oct 2011, 03:14 PM Nostalgia Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Nostalgia Top Fuel at the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series, 20th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  457 Tony Bartone                         7131 Rick White                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.180  5.619 245.76                     0.164  6.110 199.32
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Dunlap    ) 0.107  5.566 263.41      (M Irwin     ) 0.234  5.677 253.56
 Qualified:            #10  6.064 250.64                        #2  5.698 231.20

11:52 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 28.88 inches, adjusted altitude 2,996 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Great FC session, so this should be great!

White gives it all he can with a good RT and holds Bartone off until after the 60 foot, where he matches his 1.049 time. It's all Barton after that, as White's engine isbn't happy and is smoking badly near the lights.

Barton runs a strong low five sixty to take the easy win.

Tony Bartone's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.016), 330 ft(0.073), 660ft(0.171), 1,000ft(0.294). MOV: 0.4756 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-1.049 sec., 330ft-2.610, 660ft-3.782/214.48 mph, 1,000ft-4.759.
Rick White's incremental times: 60ft-1.049 sec., 330ft-2.699, 660ft-3.969/196.19 mph, 1,000ft-5.069.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Denver Schutz                         701 Rick McGee                   
E2                   0.092  5.774 241.58     ****WINNER****  0.120  5.732 261.78
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Everett   ) 0.104  5.800 226.35      (B Thompson  ) 0.100  5.848 215.55
 Qualified:             #3  5.785 234.70                        #6  5.861 214.83

Schutz was the winner until after the 1000 foot lights with all of the incrementals. McGee says "Not so fast!" and drives on by a slowing Schutz for the close win at over 260 MPH. He'll give lane choice to Bartone latter.

Rick McGee's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.054), 330 ft(-0.070), 660ft(-0.063), 1,000ft(-0.038). MOV: 0.0146 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

Denver Schutz's incremental times: 60ft-1.039 sec., 330ft-2.624, 660ft-3.839/205.35 mph, 1,000ft-4.870.
Rick McGee's incremental times: 60ft-1.065 sec., 330ft-2.666, 660ft-3.874/208.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.880.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  774 Jim Murphy                            705 Brett Harris                 
E2                   0.131  5.859 224.58     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.757 259.66
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Fry       ) 0.159  5.747 239.95      (B Murry     ) 0.126  5.774 253.99
 Qualified:             #4  5.786 246.12                        #5  5.827 255.15

Murphy gives up the race at the the starting line with a slow RT and in the lights, as a bunch of pistons go to aluminum heaven.

Harris continues to improve and makes his best run of the weekend on a great looking pass.

Brett Harris' incremental margins: 60ft(0.052), 330 ft(0.022), 660ft(0.031), 1,000ft(0.079). MOV: 0.1656 seconds (approximately 55 feet).

Jim Murphy's incremental times: 60ft-1.044 sec., 330ft-2.624, 660ft-3.853/201.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.914.
Brett Harris' incremental times: 60ft-1.055 sec., 330ft-2.665, 660ft-3.885/206.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.898.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  308 Howard Haight                         380 Jimi Young                   
E2                   0.043 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.052  9.231  75.58
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Cox       ) 0.033  5.913 232.59      (J Boyd      ) 0.114 10.830  65.08
 Qualified:             #8  5.913 249.21                        #1  5.593 255.92

Number 1 and number 8 to the line.

Young dodges a bullit. He gets off the line second and starts to have traction issues before the 330 lights and looked to be on his way home.

Haight had 0.009 on Young at the green and pulling steadily ahead until near mid-track, where the engine lets go Big Time and drives the fueler across the track to nail the center line reflectors. That will give the free pass to round two to Young, where Harris will have lane choice.

Jimi Young's incremental margins: 60ft(0.028), 330 ft(0.141), 660ft(0.005), 1,000ft(1.584). MOV: 2.6328 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Howard Haight's incremental times: 60ft-1.050 sec., 330ft-2.650, 660ft-3.898/193.85 mph, 1,000ft-5.194.
Jimi Young's incremental times: 60ft-1.069 sec., 330ft-2.782, 660ft-3.894/195.90 mph, 1,000ft-6.769.

12:09 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink