Sun, 30 Oct 2011, 04:20 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, 11th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Steve Torrence                         44 David Grubnic                
E1                   0.065  4.176 213.84     ****WINNER****  0.075  4.118 216.76
 Qualified:             #8  3.856 317.49                        #9  3.863 313.22

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 28.05 inches, adjusted altitude 3,416 feet, track temperature 91 degrees.

Torrence is 3 - 1 against Grubnic in prior events. Torrence with the starting line advantage and the lead until around half track. Torrence had cylinders out early and then his engine went silent around 800 feet and then Grubnic's engine went silent, but he coasted to finish line ahead of Torrence. David Grubnic's MOV: 0.0489 seconds (approximately 15 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Larry Dixon                           317 T.J. Zizzo                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.075  3.844 317.34                     0.095  8.378  85.20
 Qualified:             #6  3.847 319.29                       #11  3.879 319.14

Dixon is 3 - 0 against Zizzo in prior events. Zizzo is up in smoke right at the hit and clicks it off. Dixon with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. dixon with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.167, 660ft-3.083/277.54 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Antron Brown                            2 Tony Schumacher              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.034  3.836 322.04                     0.044  4.602 168.41
 Qualified:             #5  3.841 319.60                       #12  3.880 319.29

Brown is 17 - 12 against Schumacher in prior events. Brown with a slight startin g line advantage and never trailed as he runs low E.T. of the round for the win. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.184, 660ft-3.081/281.07 mph. Schumacher was right there with him until right before half track when he went up in smoke.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   12 Bob Vandergriff                       255 Clay Millican                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  3.848 324.67                     0.067  5.375 130.14
 Qualified:             #4  3.838 325.61                       #13  3.883 315.42

Vandergriff and Millican have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Millican with a slight starting line advantage, but Vandergriff had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree. Millican then started to haze the tires and clicked it off. Vandergriff with another great pass for the win. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.190, 660ft-3.099/280.31 mph. Vandergriff will give up lane choice to Brown in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   99 Del Worsham                             5 Shawn Langdon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.050  3.856 314.02                     0.056  5.519 129.62
 Qualified:             #1  3.796 322.88                       #16  3.897 289.01

Worsham is 2 - 1 against Langdon in prior events. Worsham with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.186, 660ft-3.095/280.78 mph. Langdon started to smoke the tires early and clicked it off. Worsham with a whisp of tire smoke right in the lights, but will still have lane choice over Grubnic in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  421 Spencer Massey                       7727 Ron August                   
E1   ****WINNER**** -0.054  3.830 324.75                    -0.173  4.054 250.78
 Qualified:             #2  3.824 324.67                       #15  3.892 314.39

Massey is 1 - 0 against August in prior events. August turns on the red light and then starts to smoke the tires and the engine lets go. Report from the track is there is oil in August's lane. Massey with low E.T. of the round with a great looking pass. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.081/281.77 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brandon Bernstein                     142 Dom Lagana                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.095  3.873 316.75                     0.094  6.314  95.60
 Qualified:             #3  3.833 321.27                       #14  3.885 314.46

This is the first time Bernstein and Lagana have faced each other in eliminations. They leave together and then Lagana was up in smoke early and clicked it off. Bernstein with another good looking pass for the win. He will give up lane choice to Dixon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  552 Rod Fuller                             22 Doug Kalitta                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  3.849 325.53                     0.140 No Time      
 Qualified:             #7  3.851 321.88                       #10  3.872 313.29

Fuller is 13 - 8 against Kalitta in prior events. Fuller with the starting line advantage and never trailed with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Kalitta's started having problems on the top end and the word from the top end id there is oil in Kalitta's lane. Fuller will give lane choice to Massey in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink