Sun, 28 Apr 2013, 14:30 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 26th annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Bob Vandergriff                        91 Larry Dixon                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.108  3.924 308.35                     0.055  3.978 301.13
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Brown     ) 0.050  4.181 260.71      (T Zizzo     ) 0.076  4.878 265.27
 Qualified:            #13  3.893 313.95                        #5  3.819 322.04

Dixon is 21 - 8 against Vandergriff in prior events. Dixon with a big starting line advantage, but Vandergriff was able to chase him down right in the lights. Bob Vandergriff's MOV: 0.0013 seconds (approximately 7 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   99 Khalid alBalooshi                       3 Spencer Massey               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.106  3.852 318.09                     0.044  4.327 215.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Todd      ) 0.093  3.869 321.96      (B Bernstein ) 0.069  3.941 268.49
 Qualified:             #2  3.794 325.22                        #7  3.826 316.90

Massey is 4 - 1 against alBalooshi in prior events. Massey with a big starting line advantage, but then the engine lets go with a quick flash of of fire. alBalooshi launched hard and keep it hooked up to get the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                           34 Morgan Lucas                 
E2                   0.082  5.410 158.58     ****WINNER****  0.084  3.884 311.92
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Buff      ) 0.080  3.868 315.93      (S Torrence  ) 0.081  4.190 292.52
 Qualified:             #1  3.791 321.65                        #9  3.841 311.41

Kalitta is 13 - 9 against Lucas in prior events. They leave together and then Kalitta is up in smoke and he attempts to drive through it as the car is completely side ways before he clicks it off. Lucas was straight down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over Vandergriff in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shawn Langdon                          21 Terry McMillen               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.072  4.280 259.66                     0.070  6.512  99.60
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Schumacher) 0.060  3.846 319.98      (D Grubnic   ) 0.140  4.275 242.63
 Qualified:             #3  3.794 323.19                       #11  3.874 326.71

Langdon is 6 - 1 against McMillen in prior events. They leave together and McMillen is up in smoke and clicked it off. Langdon started to haze the tires around half track and pedaled it and held on for the win. Langdon will give up lane choice to his teammate in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink