Sun, 28 Sep 2014, 13:43 PM Pro Stock Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Third annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 Jonathan Gray                           8 Greg Anderson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.021  6.540 211.49                     0.007 25.156  38.24
 Qualified:             #8  6.532 211.96                        #9  6.542 212.13

Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 40 percent, barometer 29.69 inches, adjusted altitude 2,881 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Gray and Anderson have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Anderson with a great light and then the car just quit and he coasted on down the track. Gray just a few ticks off his qualifying time for the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Allen Johnson                          19 Richie Stevens               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.052  6.532 212.43                     0.036  6.553 211.26
 Qualified:             #7  6.531 212.26                       #10  6.552 210.90

Stevens is 8 - 5 against Johnson in prior events. Stevens with the starting line advantage, but Johnson has the lead by 150 feet and takes the win light in a great drag race. Allen Johnson's MOV: 0.0059 seconds (approximately 22 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  154 Vincent Nobile                         10 Rodger Brogdon               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.012  6.544 212.43                    -0.008  6.567 211.33
 Qualified:             #6  6.529 211.96                       #11  6.558 211.43

Nobile is 3 - 0 against Brogdon in prior events. Brogdon is just a few ticks too quick on the tree and turns on the red light. Nobile is straight down the groove with a nice pass for easy win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   51 Dave Connolly                        4264 Chris McGaha                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.022  6.538 211.59                     0.027  6.614 209.56
 Qualified:             #4  6.525 212.33                       #13  6.575 210.83

Connolly is 3 - 0 against McGaha in prior events. Connolly with the slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jason Line                            442 Aaron Stanfield              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.050  6.556 211.76                    -0.142 31.127  21.30
 Qualified:             #3  6.522 212.29                       #14  6.584 211.56

Aaron Stanfield qualified 14th in the field. The #14 Pro Stock qualifier has only beaten the #3 qualifier once in the last 37 races...Jason Line comes into today #1 in points and he hasn't lost in the first round since Norwalk. Line is 1 - 0 against Stanfield in prior events. Stanfield with problems on the starting line and the car lurched forward and turned on the red light. Line with the easy win. He will give up lane choice to his teammate Nobile in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jeg Coughlin                           52 Deric Kramer                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.062  6.537 211.99                     0.034  6.603 208.62
 Qualified:             #2  6.522 212.53                       #15  6.589 210.41

This is the 30th time that Jeg has started from the #2 spot. For his career he is 24-5 in round one when he starts from that spot. Coughlin is 3 - 0 against Kramer in prior events. Kramer with the starting line advantage, and the lead until around 450 feet when Coughlin was able to chase him down and take the win by 0.0385 seconds (approximately 12 feet). Coughlin with a great pass, but will give up lane choice to his teammate Johnson in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Erica Enders-Stevens                   12 Larry Morgan                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.014  6.514 212.66                     0.028  6.651 208.78
 Qualified:             #1  6.511 213.03                       #16  6.612 209.85

Erica Enders-Stevens has won this race the last two years. She comes into eliminations with the best car, after all, she gathered up 12 bonus points in qualifying and that's the most available. Enders-Stevens with a great light and then runs the quickest and fastest pass of the day for the win. She will have lane choice over Jonathan Gray in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   11 Shane Gray                              7 V. Gaines                    
E1                   0.058  6.546 211.30     ****WINNER****  0.041  6.562 211.16
 Qualified:             #5  6.528 212.06                       #12  6.565 211.00

Shane Gray comes into eliminations with a 105-105 record in Pro Stock. Gray is 12 - 3 against Gaines in prior events. Gaines with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. V. Gaines' MOV: 0.0014 seconds (approximately 5 inches). Gaines will give up lane choice to Connolly in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink