Sun, 19 May 2013, 12:36 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                         475 Steve Torrence               
E1                   0.082 10.094  69.28     ****WINNER****  0.069  3.891 308.07
 Qualified:             #8  3.813 319.75                        #9  3.817 319.60

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 28.49 inches, adjusted altitude 3,883 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

David Grubnic is the defending champ. No Top Fuel racer has ever won this race in consecutive years. Torrence is 4 - 3 against Grubnic in prior events. Torrence was out of the gate first and never trailed as Grubnic was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Torrence was straight down Broadway for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Antron Brown                          777 Leah Pruett                  
E1                   0.057  3.887 316.52     ****WINNER****  0.051  3.855 281.71
 Qualified:             #6  3.803 316.15                       #11  3.833 311.85

Brown is 1 - 0 against Pruett in prior events. Leah Pruett is making her 6th start of the year. This is the 2nd best starting spot for her this year. Pruett with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Pruett picks up her second career Top Fuel win. Leah Pruett's MOV: 0.0383 seconds (approximately 18 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   99 Khalid alBalooshi                     745 Brittany Force               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.073  3.818 323.81                     0.080  3.857 318.02
 Qualified:             #4  3.794 324.44                       #13  3.846 320.89

This is the first time alBalooshi and Force have faced each other in eliminations. alBalooshi with the slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. alBalooshi with the quickest pass of the round. Khalid alBalooshi's MOV: 0.0464 seconds (approximately 22 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                           34 Morgan Lucas                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.052  3.788 326.08                     0.070  3.803 323.04
 Qualified:             #3  3.770 324.98                       #14  3.854 315.86

In eight races this year Doug Kalitta has been #1 three times and #3 three times. Doug won this race in 2006. Kalitta is 13 - 10 against Lucas in prior events. Kalitta was out of the gate first and never trailed as he runs the quickest pass of the round. He was just a few ticks off his qualifying time. Lucas with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort. Doug Kalitta's MOV: 0.0336 seconds (approximately 16 feet). Kalitta will have lane choice over Pruett in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shawn Langdon                         303 Pat Dakin                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.045  3.796 322.27                     0.067  3.900 305.84
 Qualified:             #1  3.767 322.50                       #16  3.918 310.70

This is Shawn Langdon's 9th number one spot and his 3rd this year. He has only won once from the top spot.The top qualifier has only won here twice in the last eighteen years..Shawn has 96 round wins coming into eliminations. Langdon is 1 - 0 against Dakin in prior events. Langdon with the better reaction time and never trailed as Langdon has the second quickest pass of the round and he will have lane choice over Torrence in the next round. Dakin 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
    2 Tony Schumacher                         8 Bob Vandergriff              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  3.814 323.89                     0.066  3.849 320.74
 Qualified:             #2  3.769 326.08                       #15  3.872 317.64

Schumacher is 23 - 8 against Vandergriff in prior events. Tony Schumacher won here in 2010. Schumacher with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win by 0.0487 seconds (approximately 23 feet). Vandergriff 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
    3 Spencer Massey                         21 Terry McMillen               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.055  3.818 321.42                     0.077  4.729 141.88
 Qualified:             #5  3.794 319.75                       #12  3.842 321.96

Massey is 7 - 0 against McMillen in prior events. Spencer Massey won here in 2011. Massey is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win as McMillen's engine let go with a huge fireball around 400 feet. the good news is there is no oil just parts and pieces. Massey tied alBalooshi's E.T. but will give up lane choice based on alBalooshi's faster speed.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  255 Clay Millican                           5 Brandon Bernstein            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  3.847 320.43                     0.065  4.264 200.41
 Qualified:             #7  3.811 321.12                       #10  3.819 321.27

Brandon Bernstein won this race in 2004 & 2007. His father, Kenny, also won on twice in the dragster class. Bernstein is 12 - 5 against Millican in prior events. Millican with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as Bernstein started to lose traction around 600 feet. Millican will give up lane choice to Schumacher in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink