Sun, 14 Feb 2016, 16:27 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  373 J.R. Todd                              21 Terry McMillen               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.092  3.797 323.89                     0.081  4.007 291.13
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Force     ) 0.063  3.766 325.45      (T Schumacher) 0.068  3.837 314.31
 Qualified:            #11  3.792 320.28                       #14  3.844 313.00

1:08 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 27 percent, barometer 28.92 inches, adjusted altitude 2,948 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Todd is 3 - 2 against McMillen in prior events. Todd has won over 40% of his round two match ups, but Lucas has won both of their prior encounters. Lucas has just a 44% second round win history.

McMillen gets a small starting line advantage, but Todd drives on by before the sixty foot lights. McMilliens engine pushes a head gasket and the car slows.

More engine damage for Todd too, but a great ET to take the easy win.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.162, 660ft-3.053/285.29 mph.
Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.248, 660ft-3.188/263.92 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Clay Millican                           3 Richie Crampton              
E2                   0.114  6.274  97.46     ****WINNER****  0.067  4.056 267.00
 Prior rounds:
E1    (L Pritchett ) 0.075  3.724 327.11      (T Buff      ) 0.074  3.794 322.73
 Qualified:             #5  3.727 322.58                        #4  3.727 323.66

Millican is 1 - 0 against Crampton in prior events. Crampton has only a 36% win history in round two. These two have never met in round two. Millican has a 41+% win record in round two.

Crampton gets away first and then starts to have the engine go lean down track . Lots of smoke, but no oil.

Millican's tires are up in smoke before the 330 lights, he pedals and finally gives it up early.

Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.175, 660ft-3.174/247.43 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Morgan Lucas                            8 Steve Torrence               
E2                   0.076  4.244 196.79     ****WINNER****  0.078  3.782 324.98
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Connolly  ) 0.045  4.366 182.33      (S Faria     ) 0.079  3.762 326.08
 Qualified:             #9  3.759 324.20                        #1  3.703 328.06

Lucas is 8 - 5 against Torrence in prior events. Torrence has over a 46% win history in the second round. These two have only met twice before in round two and each has a win. Lucas has a 44% win/loss ratio in round two.

Just a two thousandth advantage for Morgan at the green and he stays in front until after the 330 lights. The engine starts to drop cylinders and may have lost the blower belt.

Torrence is quickly on by after that and takes the easy win. He will have lane choice over Crampton next round.

Steve Torrence's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.003), 330 ft(-0.006), 660ft(0.093). MOV: 0.4602 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.160, 660ft-3.044/287.96 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Doug Kalitta                            1 Antron Brown                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.067  3.785 323.97                     0.054  3.803 317.72
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Palmer    ) 0.056  3.724 328.22      (S Langdon   ) 0.053  3.768 320.97
 Qualified:             #2  3.713 324.51                        #7  3.754 322.73

Brown is 24 - 17 against Kalitta in prior events. Brown has a huge 65% win advantage in second round racing. He has won nine of their fifteen round two races. Kalitta has a 54% round two win history.

Just a good ol' drag race! Brown gets a small starting line advantage and runs hard down the track. Right after the 660 lights, Kalitta slowly pulls on by and takes a two foot win.

Doug Kalitta's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.029), 330 ft(-0.022), 660ft(-0.007). MOV: 0.0052 seconds (approximately 2 feet).

Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.160, 660ft-3.042/287.17 mph.
Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.151, 660ft-3.048/283.19 mph.

1:23 p.m. Kalitta will have lane choice over Todd in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink