Sun, 05 May 2019, 11:32 AM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

COMMERCE, Ga. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Arby's NHRA Southern Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  303 Pat Dakin                              24 Jordan Vandergriff           
E1                  -0.228  7.744  81.81     ****WINNER****  0.047  3.817 286.80
 Qualified:            #12  3.850 302.55                        #5  3.788 316.97

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 28.97 inches, adjusted altitude 3,367 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

This is the first time Dakin and Vandergriff have faced each other in eliminations.

Dakin left early and turned on the red light and then clicked it off.

Vandergriff was on a good pass and clicked it off early for the win

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Clay Millican                           6 Antron Brown                 
E1                   0.091  3.779 320.89     ****WINNER****  0.064  3.771 323.89
 Qualified:             #8  3.817 321.04                        #9  3.821 323.19

Antron Brown has won this race four times in Top Fuel and twice in Pro Stock Motorcycle. He has raced here 10 times in the bike class and now 12 times in Top Fuel. Antron is 13 - 1 against Clay Millican in the first round. Brown is 24 - 3 against Millican in prior events.

Brown with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Antron Brown's MOV: 0.0357 seconds (approximately 17 feet).

Millican 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
    5 Brittany Force                        748 Cameron Ferre                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.093  3.887 316.08                     0.080 12.284  61.95
 Qualified:             #1  3.720 319.52                       #16  4.310 218.87

Brittany Force is 9 - 3 in round one when starting from the No. 1 spot. Since the year 2000 the No. 1 qualifier in TF is 18 - 1 in round 1at this race.

Force is 1 - 0 against Ferre in prior events.

Ferre with the starting line advantage, but was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Force dropped a cylinder early, but stayed with it, still gest the win. she will give up lane choice to Brown in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  614 Shawn Reed                              8 Doug Kalitta                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  3.856 320.13                     0.061  4.208 254.18
 Qualified:            #14  4.036 237.59                        #3  3.737 320.36

Doug Kalitta won this race three times. This is the 26th start for Shawn Reed.

Kalitta is 2 - 1 against Reed in prior events.

Kalitta with the starting line advantage, but starts to lose traction just before half track and that was the end of his day.

Reed with a great pass, his quickest pass of the weekend to win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  142 Dom Lagana                            374 Austin Prock                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  3.819 319.98                     0.056  3.849 321.42
 Qualified:             #6  3.806 321.88                       #11  3.843 319.37

This is the first time Lagana and Prock have faced each other in eliminations.

Prock with the starting line advantage and the lead until 600 feet when Lagana chased him down and took the win. He will have lane choice over Reed in the next round.

Prock with a good looking pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Steve Torrence                        394 Luigi Novelli                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.062  3.782 319.60                     0.119  3.940 274.66
 Qualified:             #2  3.727 328.46                       #15  4.079 269.94

Steve Torrence won here in 2012 and 2017. Luigi Novelli is making his first appearance since St. Louis last year. This is his first appearance at this event since 2009.

Torrence is 2 - 1 against Novelli in prior events.

Torrence with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He was straight down the groove for the win.

Novelli 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
  777 Leah Pritchett                       1934 Audrey Worm                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.068  3.812 317.79                     0.157  4.008 289.88
 Qualified:             #4  3.764 325.14                       #13  4.005 297.61

Leah Pritchett is the defending event champion. The last Top Fuel driver to win in consecutive years at this race was Doug Kalitta in 2005 and 2006.

This is the first time Pritchett and Worm have faced each other in eliminations.

Pritchett with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She will have lane choice over Vandergriff in the next round.

Worm with a good, clean pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   58 Richie Crampton                        10 Scott Palmer                 
E1                   0.074  4.431 180.60     ****WINNER****  0.044  3.971 265.85
 Qualified:             #7  3.814 312.64                       #10  3.827 314.24

Crampton is 3 - 2 against Palmer in prior events.

Palmer with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He was hazing the tires on the top end and gets the win. He will give up lane choice to Torrence in the next round.

Crampton started to overpower the track early and clicked it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink