Sun, 30 Sep 2012, 14:20 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Results of round 2 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
    2 Spencer Massey                         99 Khalid alBalooshi            
E2   ****WINNER****  0.063  3.782 311.92                     0.094  3.831 298.40
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Zizzo     ) 0.050  3.803 310.77      (L Dixon     ) 0.132  3.830 322.50
 Qualified:             #2  3.752 326.16                        #7  3.837 320.51

Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.46 inches, adjusted altitude 2,107 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Massey is 3 - 0 against alBalooshi in prior events. Massey with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He was skating around from half track on and then was dropping cylinders right in the lights. Massey runs quicker than his round one E.T. The word from the top end is there is oil in Massey's lane, but this is the first one of the year for Massey so it is a freebie. alBalooshi was just a tick off his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  475 Steve Torrence                          3 Antron Brown                 
E2                   0.089  3.904 306.74     ****WINNER****  0.072  3.787 321.19
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Vandergrif) 0.064  3.793 321.27      (B Litton    ) 0.076  3.839 320.28
 Qualified:             #8  3.840 318.92                        #1  3.737 326.79

Brown is 9 - 0 against Torrence in prior events. Brown is out of the gate first and never trailed as Torrence dropped cylinders right at the hit for the win. Brown keep pace with Massey in the point standings with a great pass and win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Tony Schumacher                         6 Brandon Bernstein            
E2                   0.055  3.795 324.12     ****WINNER****  0.041  3.795 318.84
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Millican  ) 0.059  3.784 320.51      (D Kalitta   ) 0.067  3.798 321.50
 Qualified:             #4  3.775 325.69                       #12  3.867 316.01

Schumacher is 32 - 12 against Bernstein in prior events. Bernstein is out of the gate first and then they run identical E.T.s so Bernstein gets the hole shot win. Brandon Bernstein's MOV: 0.0148 seconds (approximately 7 feet). Bernstein will give up lane choice to Brown in the semifinal. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.151, 660ft-3.047/282.30 mph.
Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.142, 660ft-3.041/282.42 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Shawn Langdon                          44 David Grubnic                
E2                   0.045  3.920 286.07     ****WINNER****  0.050  3.797 319.22
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Lucas     ) 0.044  3.771 325.69      (T McMillen  ) 0.077  5.136 276.41
 Qualified:             #6  3.799 318.54                        #3  3.773 317.94

Langdon is 5 - 2 against Grubnic in prior events. Langdon is out of the gate first, but Grubnic has him chased down by 330 feet and then never trails for the win. Langdon started to drop cylinders around 600 feet. Grubnic with a great pass, but will give up lane choice to Massey in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink