Mon, 01 Sep 2014, 15:23 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By David Gerard

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 60th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   99 Khalid alBalooshi                     475 Steve Torrence               
E3                   0.093 12.454  46.31     ****WINNER****  0.122  3.791 317.64
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B Vandergrif) 0.064  3.802 317.64      (L Dixon     ) 0.090  3.813 321.19
E1    (M Lucas     ) 0.085  3.788 322.65      (J Todd      ) 0.107  3.793 318.99
 Qualified:            #14  3.810 318.99                        #2  3.753 326.16

3:06 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 67 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 3,708 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

Torrence is 3 - 2 against alBalooshi in prior events. Vandergriff has a three to two win/loss advantage overall, but alBalooshi has a 2/1 advantage in round three.

Two not so good lights and alBalooshi gets the advantage. It's gone almost at once, as the tires are spinning hard.

Torrence runs straight and clean into the final round, looking to improve on last years loss.

Steve Torrence's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.126), 330 ft(1.877), 660ft(4.753). MOV: 8.6344 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.151, 660ft-3.043/284.62 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  358 Richie Crampton                         7 Tony Schumacher              
E3   ****WINNER****  0.075  3.784 322.81                     0.072  3.788 325.69
 Prior rounds:
E2    (S Langdon   ) 0.082  3.769 324.59      (D Lagana    ) 0.050  3.777 327.27
E1    (B Torrence  ) 0.073  3.782 320.20      (A Brown     ) 0.051  3.793 324.75
 Qualified:             #4  3.772 324.20                        #1  3.748 328.54

Crampton is facing his fifteenth different driver in his rookie year. He has never faced Schumacher before.

Schumacher gets a 0.003 better RT and the are chained together right to the finish line. Check out the back and forth in the lead below!

Crampton races Torrance in the final round with lane choice.

Richie Crampton's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.004), 330 ft(-0.003), 660ft(0.000). MOV: 0.0014 seconds (approximately 8 inches).

Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.041/285.71 mph.
Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.044/284.45 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink