Sun, 27 Sep 2015, 13:29 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, Fourth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Allen Johnson                           4 Shane Gray                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  6.559 211.00                    -0.015  6.572 211.43
 Qualified:             #8  6.524 212.16                        #9  6.527 212.86

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 69 percent, barometer 29.62 inches, adjusted altitude 2,247 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Johnson is 13 - 3 against Gray in prior events. Gray is too quick on the tree and turns on the red light. Johnson is straight down the groove with a good clean pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   37 Larry Morgan                            2 Jason Line                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.020  6.554 211.59                     0.084  6.526 211.63
 Qualified:             #7  6.518 212.79                       #10  6.528 211.99

Line is 21 - 9 against Morgan in prior events. Morgan with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Larry Morgan's MOV: 0.0363 seconds (approximately 11 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Chris McGaha                          154 Vincent Nobile               
E1                   0.031  8.654 109.87     ****WINNER****  0.007  6.577 210.24
 Qualified:             #6  6.514 211.86                       #11  6.543 211.79

Nobile is 8 - 5 against McGaha in prior events. Nobile with a great light and never trailed for the win. McGaha got loose around 300 feet and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Jonathan Gray                          52 Deric Kramer                 
E1                   0.087  6.822 168.60     ****WINNER****  0.050  6.569 207.69
 Qualified:             #5  6.514 212.19                       #12  6.545 210.70

Gray is 3 - 0 against Kramer in prior events. Kramer with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Gray started drifting out of the groove and over by the centerline before he clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  677 Aaron Strong                          361 Bo Butner                    
E1                   0.027  7.014 155.87     ****WINNER****  0.036  6.543 211.39
 Qualified:            #15  6.605 209.10                        #2  6.502 212.73

This is the 2nd consecutive race where Bo Butner has qualified 2nd in the field..This is Aaron Strong's third start and they have all been from the #15 spot. He is looking for his first round win. This is the first time Strong and Butner have faced each other in eliminations. Strong with the starting line advantage, but then Strong started to drift out of the groove and over by the wall before he lifted. Butner was straight down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over Morgan in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 V. Gaines                             390 Drew Skillman                
E1                   0.067  6.664 185.05     ****WINNER****  0.035  6.530 211.43
 Qualified:            #13  6.556 211.30                        #4  6.509 212.56

This is the 31st time that V. Gaines has started from the 13th spot in the field and that is the most for him of any qualifying position..This is the 18th race for Drew Skillman this year and it is the 13th time he has started from the top half if the field. Skillman is 1 - 0 against Gaines in prior events. Skillman with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Skillman will have lane choice over Kramer in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  547 Mark Hogan                            233 Greg Anderson                
E1                   0.046  6.681 206.92     ****WINNER****  0.056  6.528 212.03
 Qualified:            #16  6.680 207.02                        #1  6.492 213.20

Greg Anderson won here in 2004. Greg becomes the first Pro Stock driver this year to qualify #1 at three consecutive races..This is Mark Hogan's 11th start and he is looking for his first round win in Pro Stock. Anderson is 1 - 0 against Hogan in prior events. Hogan with the starting line advantage, but Anderson had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree and runs the second quickest pass of the round for the win. He will have lane choice over Johnson in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4255 Alex Laughlin                           1 Erica Enders                 
E1                   0.163  6.819 200.23     ****WINNER****  0.029  6.586 210.87
 Qualified:            #14  6.561 211.63                        #3  6.508 212.13

Erica Enders won twice here, in 2012 &2013. When she won Charlotte on a holeshot she became the first driver in NHRA history in any pro class to win three consecutive final rounds on holeshot..This is the 4th start for Alex Laughlin who is looking for his first round win. This is the first time Laughlin and Enders have faced each other in eliminations. Enders with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Enders will give up lane choice to Nobile in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink