Sun, 30 Sep 2012, 12:34 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Inaugural AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   99 Khalid alBalooshi                      91 Larry Dixon                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.132  3.830 322.50                     0.066  3.917 310.41
 Qualified:             #7  3.837 320.51                       #10  3.840 312.50

Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 50 percent, barometer 29.49 inches, adjusted altitude 1,934 feet, track temperature 87 degrees.

This is the first time alBalooshi and Dixon have faced each other in eliminations. Dixon with the starting line advantage and then started drifting toward the centerline and alBalooshi was able to chase him down in the lights for the win. Khalid alBalooshi's MOV: 0.0213 seconds (approximately 10 feet). alBalooshi with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.177, 660ft-3.080/282.48 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                            6 Brandon Bernstein            
E1                   0.068  3.907 256.36     ****WINNER****  0.067  3.798 321.50
 Qualified:             #5  3.795 325.53                       #12  3.867 316.01

Kalitta is 20 - 17 against Bernstein in prior events. They leave together and then Bernstein runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the big win. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.151, 660ft-3.049/283.07 mph. Kalitta slowed on the top end...

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                          21 Terry McMillen               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.136 276.41                     0.087  6.133 154.30
 Qualified:             #3  3.773 317.94                       #14  3.887 318.47

Grubnic is 2 - 0 against McMillen in prior events. Grubnic with the starting line advantage and then was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle...McMillen was also up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. They both pedaled it and it appeared Grubnic got it to settle down and was back on the throttle to take the win. McMillen started to haze the tires after a quick pedal and had to pedal it again, but by then it was all Grubnic.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Tony Schumacher                       255 Clay Millican                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  3.784 320.51                     0.046  3.925 279.04
 Qualified:             #4  3.775 325.69                       #13  3.868 314.75

Schumacher is 18 - 2 against Millican in prior events. Millican with the starting line advantage, but Schumacher had the lead by the time they went by the Christmas tree and then he runs the quickest pass of the day for the win.Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.134, 660ft-3.034/283.25 mph. Schumacher will have lane choice over Bernstein in the next round. Millican started to haze the tires just past 660 feet to end his weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Antron Brown                          345 Bruce Litton                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  3.839 320.28                     0.065 10.440  71.61
 Qualified:             #1  3.737 326.79                       #16  3.902 306.33

Brown is 1 - 0 against Litton in prior events. Litton was out of the gate first and was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle...Brown launched hard and keep it hooked up all the way down the track for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Spencer Massey                        317 T.J. Zizzo                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.050  3.803 310.77                     0.058  5.015 144.16
 Qualified:             #2  3.752 326.16                       #15  3.889 298.67

Massey and Zizzo have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Massey is out of the gate first and never trailed as Zizzo was up in smoke by 300 feet. Massey with a real nice pass, straight down the groove and he will have lane choice over alBalooshi in next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Shawn Langdon                          34 Morgan Lucas                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  3.771 325.69                     0.056  4.069 230.33
 Qualified:             #6  3.799 318.54                       #11  3.856 309.56

Lucas is 7 - 1 against Langdon in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Langdon runs the quickest pass of the round for the win. Lucas was up in smoke just past the half track mark. Langdon will have lane choice over Grubnic in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  475 Steve Torrence                         12 Bob Vandergriff              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  3.793 321.27                     0.064  3.908 309.63
 Qualified:             #8  3.840 318.92                        #9  3.840 318.77

Torrence is 4 - 2 against Vandergriff in prior events. They leave with identical reaction times and the Torrence runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.143, 660ft-3.041/282.24 mph. torrence will have lane choice over Brown in the next round. Vandergriff with a good pass, but slowed from his qualifying time.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink