Sun, 12 Feb 2017, 14:45 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations |
By Rick Green |
POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 21 Terry McMillen 25 Clay Millican E1 ****WINNER**** 0.072 3.750 324.51 0.078 4.037 238.43 Qualified: #7 3.734 317.12 #10 3.815 321.58Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 28.96 inches, adjusted altitude 2,097 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.
Millican is 6 - 2 against McMillen in prior events.
This (#7) is Terry McMillen's best starting sot since the Englishtown race last year.
Millican is 6 - 2 against McMillen in prior events.
McMillen with a slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. McMillen with another great pass after qualifying with his career best pass yesterday.
Millican was dropping cylinders right at the hit
and then the engine let go on the top end. The word from the top end is there is oil. Clay
Millican was charged with an oildown, #1 for the season.
That will cost 5 points.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 497 Troy Buff 3 Steve Torrence E1 0.033 7.357 85.92 ****WINNER**** 0.054 3.751 328.06 Qualified: #9 3.795 311.56 #8 3.745 327.19Torrence is 5 - 0 against Buff in prior events.
Steve Torrence is the defending event champion. In the long history of this event, which goes back to 1963 in Top Fuel, only one driver, Larry Dixon, has ever won in back-to-back years in the dragster class.
This #9 spot is the best starting position for Troy Buff in his last 55 races. Buff with a great light and then is up in smoke right off the starting line and clicks it off.
Torrence with a nice looking pass, he had a little sash-shay just past half track, but still
runs his quickest pass of the weekend.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
Bye 777 Leah Pritchett
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.082 3.707 325.14
Qualified: #1 3.672 327.90
This is the 2nd time in the last five races that Leah Pritchett has been the top qualifier.
This will be the first bye run of her TF career.Pritchett launched hard and was straight down the groove with the quickest pass of the day. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.104, 660ft-2.969/291.07 mph.
She will have lane choice over Torrence in the next
round.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 735 Steve Faria 2 Doug Kalitta E1 0.073 4.246 230.92 ****WINNER**** 0.070 3.696 329.91 Qualified: #15 8.890 59.76 #2 3.686 329.58Doug Kalitta won this race in 2009. He was also runner-up last year and on three other occasions. Doug's uncle, Connie, won this race in 1967.
This is Steve Faria's 12th start in Top Fuel and he is looking for his first round win.
Kalitta is 2 - 0 against Faria in prior events.
Kalitta with a slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs the quickest pass of race day for the win. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.830 sec., 330ft-2.104, 660ft-2.966/291.89 mph.
Kalitta will have lane choice over McMillen in the next round.
Faria 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 700 Steven Chrisman 1 Antron Brown E1 0.093 16.117 30.54 ****WINNER**** 0.067 3.742 321.35 Qualified: #14 6.585 112.67 #3 3.695 328.06Antron Brown has never won this race but he did go to the final round in 2009, 2012 & 2015.
Brown is 4 - 0 against Chrisman in prior events.
Brown with the starting line advantage and was straight down the groove with great looking pass for the win.
Chrisman with problems
right off the starting line and pulled over by the wall and coast on down the track.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6 Brittany Force 121 Terry Haddock
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.104 3.726 322.19 0.148 4.619 169.55
Qualified: #4 3.706 322.42 #13 5.433 123.04
This is the 14th time that Terry Haddock has competed at the Winternationals but the first time
he has done in a Top Fuel.Force is 1 - 0 against Haddock in prior events.
Force with the
starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as Haddock dropped a cylinder or two around
half track and clicked it off early.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 5050 Scott Palmer 8 Tony Schumacher E1 0.100 3.896 287.96 ****WINNER**** 0.083 3.709 326.08 Qualified: #12 3.845 316.60 #5 3.716 314.24Tony Schumacher won here in 2004 & 2008. His two wins are the most by any active Top Fuel driver. He was also the runner-up in 2000 & 2013.
Schumacher is 9 - 0 against Palmer in prior events.
Schumacher with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend. He will have lane choice over Force in the next round.
Palmer was on a good looking pass and clicked it off early in the losing effort.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 614 Shawn Reed 301 Troy Coughlin Jr. E1 0.088 3.854 316.60 ****WINNER**** 0.136 3.728 328.46 Qualified: #11 3.815 313.95 #6 3.730 322.81Troy Coughlin is the 556th driver to qualify for an NHRA Top Fuel field.
Reed with the starting line advantage and the lead until around 200 feet when Coughlin chased him down. Coughlin with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.
Coughlin will have lane choice over Brown in the next round.
Reed was on a good pass until right before half track made a quick move toward
the wall and he did a great job driving it.
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