Sun, 25 May 2003, 02:19 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 15th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Darrell Russell                         9 Rhonda Hartman-Smith
E2   ****WINNER****  0.071  4.588 323.81                     0.047  4.669 311.56
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Grubnic   ) 0.082  4.604 321.58      (D Baca      ) 0.056  4.765 301.60
 Qualified:             #5  4.596 322.19                       #13  4.687 311.92

1:01 PM Current weather conditions: 70 degrees, 35 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.12 inches with scattered clouds.

These two have met just twice before, each winning once. Hartman-Smith was first off the line and led almost to half track, but Russell was running 10 mph faster at that point and then her engine started mixing the cylinders up on the top end, while Russell made his best run of the event. Darrell Russell's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.001), 330 ft(-0.005), 660ft(0.009), 1,000ft(0.034). MOV: 0.0576 seconds (approximately 26 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Kenny Bernstein                         7 Doug Herbert
E2   ****WINNER****  0.075  4.689 312.50                     0.057  4.718 310.77
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Troxel    ) 0.092  4.572 328.70      (S Weis      ) 0.098  4.703 306.40
 Qualified:             #2  4.545 327.03                        #7  4.602 315.05

These two have raced each other 31 times in the past, Bernstein holding a 21-10 edge in those prior races. Bernstein was the first driver to 300 mph, Herbert the second. Herbert rolled in a bit deep and had an apparent holeshot, but KB took over the led by the 60-foot timer and then held on for the win in a very close race. Kenny Bernstein's incremental margins: 60ft(0.015), 330 ft(0.016), 660ft(0.019), 1,000ft(0.011). MOV: 0.0114 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Doug Kalitta                            5 Cory McClenathan
E2   ****WINNER****  0.061  4.582 319.75                     0.074  4.956 203.06
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Smith     ) 0.048  4.566 328.54      (S Palmer    ) 0.101  4.848 277.43
 Qualified:             #6  4.600 319.60                        #3  4.577 315.56

These two have faced each other in competition 17 times in prior races, Kalitta holding a 9-8 edge in those races. This one was interesting, Kalitta away first and Cory mac trying to run him down. We'll never know if he could do it because his parachute popped out around the 1,000-foot mark and he towed it the rest of the way. Kalitta will have lane choice against Bernstein in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Larry Dixon                           337 Paul Romine
E2   ****WINNER****  0.082  4.554 325.92                     0.077  6.411 134.73
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Karamesine) 0.074  4.533 329.67      (T Schumacher) 0.046  4.850 286.38
 Qualified:             #1  4.509 327.11                        #9  4.629 318.17

Dixon came in with a 7-3 edge over Romine in prior races during their careers and he made it 8-3 when Romine lost traction and then a blower belt. Romine beat Tony Schumacher in the first round, and after this final pair ran, Don Schumacher announced that he has hired Alan Johnson as crew chief for the U.S. Army dragster. Dixon will have lane choice when he meets Russell in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink