Mon, 07 Sep 2015, 16:13 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 61st annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Morgan Lucas                           10 Brittany Force               
E3   ****WINNER****  0.074  6.181 169.08                     0.062 No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E2    (R Crampton  ) 0.063  3.902 297.42      (B Torrence  ) 0.066  4.058 264.29
E1    (L Pritchett ) 0.061  3.787 323.89      (P Dakin     ) 0.073  3.853 318.99
 Qualified:             #6  3.795 320.13                        #7  3.798 319.60

3:56 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 89 degrees, relative humidity 50 percent, barometer 29.10 inches, adjusted altitude 3,811 feet, track temperature 124 degrees.

Lucas is 1 - 0 against Force in prior events. This is the first time they have met in a semifinal.

Wild race, a pedalfest from the start. Lucas did the better job of pedaling and then Brittany slide the left rear tire across the centerlne.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  335 Dave Connolly                           4 Shawn Langdon                
E3   ****WINNER****  0.049  4.149 231.36                     0.063  7.063  95.67
 Prior rounds:
E2    (A Brown     ) 0.050  3.828 323.74      (D Kalitta   ) 0.071  3.913 292.33
E1    (K alBalooshi) 0.066  3.820 324.59      (T Schumacher) 0.049  3.841 313.44
 Qualified:             #4  3.793 323.58                        #8  3.806 319.29

Connolly is 1 - 0 against Langdon in prior events and that was not in a semifinal matchup, particularly with so much on the line. When qualifying was completed, there were three drivers in a paosition to move into the Countdown field if they could manage to get to the final round in their category. The otheer two failed. Connolly was "last driver standing."

Langdon was up in smoke early in the run and Dave Connolly is in the Countdown. His car pitched the blower belt on the top end, but by then he was a track length ahead.

Connolly will have lane choice against Lucas in the final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink