Sun, 24 Feb 2013, 14:39 PM Pro Stock Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  445 Greg Stanfield                          3 Vincent Nobile               
E1                  -0.003  7.354 135.63     ****WINNER****  0.014  8.750 109.09
 Qualified:             #9  6.561 210.73                        #8  6.555 211.13

Vincent Nobile and Greg Stanfield are two of the best on the starting line. Greg leaves first 69% of the time while Vincent is even better leaving first a remarkable 78% of the time..Nobile won this race in 2011. Stanfield was just a few ticks click on the tree and turned on the red light. Nobile was out of the groove early and over by the wall so he pushed in the clutch as he already had the win. Stanfield got real loose around half track and he too pushed in the clutch.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   11 Shane Gray                              4 Erica Enders-Stevens         
E1                   0.067  6.652 188.44     ****WINNER****  0.038  6.561 212.39
 Qualified:            #10  6.568 210.57                        #7  6.555 211.86

Enders-Stevens is 7 - 2 against Gray in prior events. enders-Stevens is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   41 Rodger Brogdon                         25 Jeg Coughlin                 
E1                   0.049 17.529  46.85     ****WINNER****  0.027  6.537 212.49
 Qualified:            #11  6.578 210.70                        #6  6.544 211.36

Jeg Coughlin won this race in 2000 & 2009. Coughlin is 6 - 3 against Brogdon in prior events. Coughlin with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as Brogdon shook hard right at the hit. Coughlin with the quickest pass of the round, so far.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  666 Matt Hartford                           5 Greg Anderson                
E1                   0.082  6.608 210.73     ****WINNER****  0.018  6.543 212.63
 Qualified:            #13  6.614 210.24                        #4  6.536 212.56

As hard as it may be to believe Greg Anderson has not been past the second round at a race since Sonoma of last year, eleven races ago. Anderson is 2 - 0 against Hartford in prior events. Anderson with a great light and never trailed for the win. Hartford with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Larry Morgan                            7 V. Gaines                    
E1                   0.032  6.713 182.85     ****WINNER****  0.042  6.564 212.06
 Qualified:            #15  6.633 209.10                        #2  6.529 212.63

Larry Morgan wins a bigger percentage of rounds on holeshots than almost anyone in the class and he'll need to be good to beat V. Gaines who qualified second for the second consecutive race..Gaines won this race in 2008. Morgan with the starting line advantage, but Gaines had the difference made up by the time they went past the Christmas tree. Gaines will give up lane choice to Enders-Stevens in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  452 Steve Kent                              6 Mike Edwards                 
E1                   0.095  6.592 210.21     ****WINNER****  0.047  6.541 212.83
 Qualified:            #16  6.638 208.10                        #1  6.498 213.13

Mike Edwards qualified #1 for the fifth straight year in Phoenix. He is the second driver to do that (Warren Johnson). He has qualified No. 1 six times here including his first No. 1 qualifying spot. Mike is 37 - 5 in round one matches when he is the number one qualifier although he did lose in Pomona in round one after leading qualifying. He has 12 wins from the No. 1 spot including one win here. Edwards with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Edwards will have lane choice over Nobile in the next round. Kent with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   52 Deric Kramer                            2 Jason Line                   
E1                   0.047  6.609 209.79     ****WINNER****  0.054  6.554 212.83
 Qualified:            #14  6.624 208.30                        #3  6.535 212.56

Jason Line is the defending event champion. Deric Kramer is looking for his first round win in this, his fourth pro start. Kramer with the starting line advantage, but Line had the difference made up by 100 feet and took the win by about 15 feet. Line will give up lane choice to Coughlin in the next round. Kramer with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4264 Chris McGaha                            1 Allen Johnson                
E1                   0.154  6.576 211.36     ****WINNER****  0.048  6.540 212.79
 Qualified:            #12  6.582 210.57                        #5  6.542 212.03

Weather conditions: air temperature 60 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.72 inches, adjusted altitude 1,717 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

Johnson is 1 - 0 against McGaha in prior events. Johnson with a big starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Johnson will have lane choice over Anderson in the next round. McGaha with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink