Sun, 15 Sep 2013, 12:47 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

CONCORD, N.C. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Sixth annual Carlyle Tools NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by NAPA Auto Parts:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  745 Brittany Force                          3 Spencer Massey               
E1                   0.099  3.834 300.73     ****WINNER****  0.049  3.822 288.21
 Qualified:            #10  3.812 307.37                        #7  3.796 320.58

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 29.54 inches, adjusted altitude 2,118 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

Massey is 3 - 0 against Force in prior events. Massey is out of the gate first and makes a great looking pass until right before the finish line when the engine lets go with a big fireball. Massey holds on for the win by 0.0622 seconds (approximately 27 feet). Word from the top end is there is oil on the track. Force with a good clean pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   21 Terry McMillen                         34 Morgan Lucas                 
E1                   0.060  3.857 322.04     ****WINNER****  0.083  3.769 319.37
 Qualified:            #16  3.885 320.36                        #1  3.749 324.51

Lucas is 3 - 2 against McMillen in prior events. McMillen is out of the gate first, Lucas has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Lucas takes the win by 0.0654 seconds (approximately 31 feet). McMillen runs quicker than his qualifying time in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Bob Vandergriff                         4 Shawn Langdon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.020  3.835 323.19                     0.062  3.795 325.45
 Qualified:            #14  3.838 322.73                        #3  3.768 327.27

Langdon is 11 - 1 against Vandergriff in prior events. Vandergriff with a great light and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Bob Vandergriff's MOV: 0.0024 seconds (approximately 14 inches). Vandergriff with his quickest pass of the weekend to advance to round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  777 Leah Pruett                             2 Tony Schumacher              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.098  3.854 316.52                     0.070  7.458  85.94
 Qualified:            #15  3.860 319.29                        #2  3.766 318.84

Schumacher is 1 - 0 against Pruett in prior events. Schumacher is out of the gate first, but is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Pruett with great looking pass for the upset win. She runs quicker than her qualifying time for the win. She will give up lane choice to Massey in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Doug Kalitta                           99 Khalid alBalooshi            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.074  3.795 326.32                     0.060  4.210 248.20
 Qualified:            #13  3.826 324.20                        #4  3.779 325.53

alBalooshi is 4 - 2 against Kalitta in prior events. alBalooshi is out of the gate first and has the lead until around 400 feet when Kalitta chases him down. alBalooshi starts to haze the tires just past half track and then started to mixing up cylinders as Kalitta takes win. Kalitta with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  303 Pat Dakin                             475 Steve Torrence               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  3.833 317.34                     0.033  8.450  71.10
 Qualified:            #12  3.822 316.90                        #5  3.787 327.59

Torrence is 1 - 0 against Dakin in prior events. Torrence with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Dakin is straight down the groove with a nice clean pass for the upset win. He will give up lane choice to Kalitta in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  474 Billy Torrence                        255 Clay Millican                
E1                   0.088  6.838 101.20     ****WINNER****  0.060  4.288 249.16
 Qualified:            #11  3.822 319.67                        #6  3.789 324.59

This is the first time Torrence and Millican have faced each other in eliminations. Millican is out of the gate first and never trails as Torrence is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Millican started to lose traction and pedaled it, but held on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 David Grubnic                           5 Brandon Bernstein            
E1                   0.101  4.281 246.30     ****WINNER****  0.050  4.324 233.92
 Qualified:             #9  3.808 322.81                        #8  3.807 319.07

Bernstein is 20 - 14 against Grubnic in prior events. Bernstein is out of the gate first and is up in smoke and he pedals it. When he pedaled it the engine let go with a huge fireball and he keep his foot in it for the hole shot win. Brandon Bernstein's MOV: 0.0087 seconds (approximately 3 feet). Grubnic started to haze the tires and he couldn't chase him down. Bernstein will give up lane choice to his teammate Lucas in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink