Sun, 06 Aug 2017, 15:52 PM Pro Stock Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

KENT, Wash. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Greg Anderson                           8 Allen Johnson                
E1                   0.032  6.611 209.14     ****WINNER****  0.047  6.592 209.88
 Qualified:             #7  6.600 209.23                        #8  6.601 209.49

Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 29.61 inches, adjusted altitude 2,324 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

Greg Anderson won here in 2003, 2004 & 2010.

Allen Johnson was the champion here in 2006 and runner-up in 2007 and 2008.

This is the 75th meeting between these two and that is the second most matchups between any two Pro Stock drivers (Anderson - Coughlin 91).

Anderson is 52 - 22 against Johnson in prior events.

Anderson with the starting line advantage, Johnson had the difference made up by 330 feet and never trailed from there on for the win in a close one. Allen Johnson's MOV: 0.0045 seconds (approximately 17 inches).

Johnson runs his quickest pass of the weekend in the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Jeg Coughlin                            7 Chris McGaha                 
E1                   0.031  6.611 208.71     ****WINNER****  0.026  6.591 209.30
 Qualified:             #6  6.599 208.78                        #9  6.611 208.68

Jeg Coughlin won here in 2002 and was runner-up three times. His last final round at this race was in 2001.

Chris McGaha won here in 2015.

Coughlin and McGaha have each won 4 times against the other in prior events.

McGaha with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Chris McGaha's MOV: 0.0255 seconds (approximately 8 feet). McGaha with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jason Line                              5 Vincent Nobile               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.035  6.577 209.33                     0.028  6.661 209.43
 Qualified:             #5  6.576 210.21                       #10  6.619 208.75

Jason Line has three wins at this event.

Vincent Nobile won this race in 2013 and was runner-up last year

Line is 22 - 17 against Nobile in prior events.

Nobile with a slight starting line advantage, but Line had the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and then runs low E.T. of race day for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Erica Enders                          666 Matt Hartford                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.007  6.592 210.08                     0.036  7.336 139.56
 Qualified:             #4  6.575 210.31                       #11  6.643 207.46

Erica Enders was the winner here in 2012.

Enders is 6 - 0 against Hartford in prior events.

Enders with a great light and never trailed for the win. She will give up lane choice to Line in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 Tanner Gray                                Bye
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  6.561 209.79     
 Qualified:             #1  6.565 210.24                     Bye

In 30 years of this event Tanner Gray is the 20th different driver to qualify No. 1 in the Pro Stock class.

Gray launched hard and kept it hooked up to run low E.T. of the event. Tanner Gray's incremental times: 60ft-0.984 sec., 330ft-2.749, 660ft-4.222/167.01 mph, 1,000ft-5.491.

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
    6 Drew Skillman                         106 Alan Prusiensky              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  6.572 210.08                     0.030  6.675 207.88
 Qualified:             #2  6.568 209.75                       #13  6.680 207.30

Skillman is 1 - 0 against Prusiensky in prior events.

Skillman with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Bo Butner                             799 Steve Graham                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.049  6.569 210.01                     0.042  6.623 208.94
 Qualified:             #3  6.570 210.28                       #12  6.647 208.30

This is the first time Butner and Graham have faced each other in eliminations.

Graham with a slight starting line advantage, but Butner has the lead by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. Butner runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win and lane choice over McGaha in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink