Sun, 28 Oct 2012, 17:13 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  373 J.R. Todd                              99 Khalid alBalooshi            
E2                   0.070  4.591 155.20     ****WINNER****  0.077  3.816 312.93
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Bernstein ) 0.039  3.826 322.11      (A Brown     ) 0.102  4.470 241.07
 Qualified:             #5  3.806 324.05                        #4  3.804 325.69

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 21 percent, barometer 27.89 inches, adjusted altitude 4,151 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

This is the first time Todd and alBalooshi have faced each other in eliminations. Todd with a slight starting line, alBalooshihas the difference made up by 300 feet and then just motors on through for the win. Todd started mixing up cylinders and then the engine let go with a big fireball.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Spencer Massey                         12 Bob Vandergriff              
E2                   0.057  3.873 322.34     ****WINNER****  0.054  3.851 321.42
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Zizzo     ) 0.060  3.809 325.14      (D Grubnic   ) 0.068  3.971 258.67
 Qualified:             #2  3.776 321.42                        #7  3.810 323.97

Massey is 4 - 2 against Vandergriff in prior events. Vandergriff with the slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Bob Vandergriff's MOV: 0.0252 seconds (approximately 12 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                            9 Shawn Langdon                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.070  4.139 264.70                     0.034  4.387 210.31
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C McClenatha) 0.073  3.822 326.32      (C Millican  ) 0.054  3.802 323.19
 Qualified:             #3  3.798 327.11                        #6  3.809 319.52

Langdon is 7 - 3 against Kalitta in prior events. Langdon with the starting line advantage, but then started to haze the tires and pedaled it, but couldn't get it to hook up...Kalitta started to haze the tires and got it to hook up and took the lead just past half tack and took the win. Kalitta will give up lane choice to Vandergriff in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Tony Schumacher                       475 Steve Torrence               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.057  3.847 324.67                     0.062  3.859 319.37
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T McMillen  ) 0.087  3.788 326.32      (M Lucas     ) 0.061  4.102 264.03
 Qualified:             #1  3.773 323.66                        #8  3.823 296.11

Schumacher and Torrence have each won 4 times against the other in prior events. Schumacher with the slight starting line advantage and then Torrence had the lead when they went by the Christmas tree until just past half track where Schumacher drove around him and took the win. Tony Schumacher's MOV: 0.0173 seconds (approximately 8 feet). Schumacher will give up lane choice to alBalooshi in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink