Drag Race Central | Presented by Summitracing.com

Sun, 01 May 2016, 12:56 PM

Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual SpringNationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tony Schumacher                        21 Terry McMillen               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  3.768 325.61                     0.070  3.889 306.26
 Qualified:             #8  3.766 322.19                        #9  3.819 314.02

Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 80 percent, barometer 29.79 inches, adjusted altitude 2,402 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Schumacher is 16 - 3 against McMillen in prior events. McMillen with the slight starting line advantage, but Schumacher has the lead by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trails from there for the win. He is just a few ticks off his qualifying time for the win. McMillen was on a good looking pass until right in the lights when the engine let go with a huge fireball. This was a huge explosion with the whole supercharger assembly flying off the top of the engine. Then with all the fire and parts the left rear tire explodes, he then hits the right wall and keeps it up against the wall until he comes to a stop. He was out of the car and said he was fine and that he would be back in Atlanta. Terry McMillen was charged with an oildown, #3 for the season. That will cost 15 points and $4K.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Clay Millican                         777 Leah Pritchett               
E1                   0.064  6.021 103.86     ****WINNER****  0.057  3.817 325.37
 Qualified:             #3  3.743 323.12                       #14  6.305 104.22

Millican is 3 - 1 against Pritchett in prior events. Pritchett with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She was straight down the groove for the win. Millican is up in smoke right off the starting line and clicked it off.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Richie Crampton                      5050 Scott Palmer                 
E1                   0.082  5.540 133.43     ****WINNER****  0.092  3.922 309.42
 Qualified:             #4  3.752 314.31                       #13  4.028 254.62

This is the first time Crampton and Palmer have faced each other in eliminations. Crampton with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke early and pedals it, but can't get it to hook up and Palmer is straight down the groove for the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Doug Kalitta                          121 Terry Haddock                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.086  3.763 325.69                     0.166  6.200 115.25
 Qualified:             #2  3.743 324.36                       #15 No Time

Doug Kalitta has won here twice and is the defending event champion. In 27 years at this event no Top Fuel driver has ever won in back-to-back years. Doug's two round wins in Charlotte gave him 553 for his career and that moved him past Kurt Johnson and into 11th place overall..This is the 58th start overall for Terry Haddock and the 28th in Top Fuel. Kalitta is 1 - 0 against Haddock in prior events. Kalitta is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win, keeps it hooked up and hitting on all eight for the win. Haddock started to shake and rattle the tires early and clicked it off.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Steve Torrence                        723 Rob Passey                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.094  3.764 327.27                     0.470 No Time      
 Qualified:             #1  3.724 329.42                       #16 No Time

This is the 4th #1 qualifying spot of the year for Steve Torrence.Rob Passey is the 36th driver that Steve has faced in Top Fuel. Passey with trouble on the burnout and the Safety Safari crew get him pushed back to the starting line. He then has problems right at the hit and coasted to a stop around 200 feet off the starting line. Torrence launched hard and keep it hooked up to make the second quickest pass of race day for the win. He will have lane choice over Schumacher in the next round


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Antron Brown                          373 J.R. Todd                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  3.823 313.66                     0.057  5.054 142.26
 Qualified:             #5  3.753 321.58                       #12  3.889 300.53

Antron Brown won here in 2008 & 2014. His 2008 win was his first in Top Fuel. Todd with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit and has the car completely sideways before he lifts. Brown had a hole out right at the hit, but picked it up and was straight down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over Palmer in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Shawn Langdon                         497 Troy Buff                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  3.772 322.42                     0.079  3.824 316.67
 Qualified:             #6  3.760 325.06                       #11  3.870 308.78

Langdon is 8 - 2 against Buff in prior events. Langdon with the staring line advantage and never trailed for the win. Langdon picks up his first round win of the year. He has a real nice pass for the win. He will have lane choice over Pritchett in the next round. Buff was straight down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Brittany Force                        448 Kebin Kinsley                
E1                   0.078  4.861 185.69     ****WINNER****  0.061  4.002 239.10
 Qualified:             #7  3.761 298.54                       #10  3.870 310.05

This is Kebin Kinsley's 7th race on Top Fuel and his best starting position (#10). Kebin won here in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class in 2006..Brittany Force comes into the race as the point's leader. Kinsley with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as Force was up in smoke early and couldn't get it to hook up. Kinsley will give up lane choice to Kalitta in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink