Sun, 01 Nov 2020, 13:32 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 20th annual Dodge NHRA Finals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  759 Jim Maroney                           497 Troy Buff                    
E1                   0.049  3.901 314.90     ****WINNER****  0.088  3.844 309.77
 Qualified:             #7  3.971 307.37                        #8  4.123 218.97

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 6 percent, barometer 30.24 inches, track temperature 89 degrees.

This is the first time Maroney and Buff have faced each other in eliminations.

This is Troy Buff's 101st start in TF.

Maroney with the starting line advantage, but Buff had the lead by 330 feet and never trailed from there on for the win. He makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

Maroney 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
  323 Chris Karamesines                     777 Leah Pruett                  
E1                   0.447  4.260 203.00     ****WINNER****  0.116  3.753 317.64
 Qualified:             #9  4.166 224.66                        #6  3.791 322.04

Leah Pruett was born in 1988. Chris Karamesines was inducted into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1997.

Pruett is 2 - 0 against Karamesines in prior events.

Pruett with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She runs her quickest pass of the weekend for the win,

Karamesines clicked it off early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  356 Tony Schumacher                       123 Antron Brown                 
E1                   0.058  9.131  81.00     ****WINNER****  0.055  3.720 326.87
 Qualified:            #11  5.249 112.46                        #4  3.762 322.81

This is the 71st meeting between Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown and that's the 3rd most head-to-head meetings between any two TF drivers in history. Antron leads overall 37 - 33 but Tony leads 4 -2 in round 1.

For his career Antron wins 77% of his opening round races while Tony wins 75% of his.

Brown with a slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

Schumacher is up in smoke right at the hit and clicks it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1211 Justin Ashley                           2 Doug Kalitta                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.041  3.700 325.61                     0.048  3.733 322.73
 Qualified:            #12  5.659 115.47                        #3  3.746 327.74

Justin Ashley was born in 1994. Doug Kalitta's first TF race was 1998.

For his career Doug wins 70% of his opening round races. He is 9 -1 in round 1 this year.

Kalitta is 3 - 2 against Ashley in prior events.

Ashley was crowned Rookie of the year yesterday.

Ashley with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs low E.T. of the event for the win.

Kalitta losing here means Steve Torrence is the 2020 Top Fuel Champion.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  748 Cameron Ferre                           5 Billy Torrence               
E1                   0.060  4.073 294.95     ****WINNER****  0.094  3.777 325.22
 Qualified:            #14  6.595 101.23                        #1  3.728 325.30

Torrence is 1 - 0 against Ferre in prior events.

Billy Torrence qualified number one for the first time this season and third in his career.

Ferre with the starting line advantage, but Torrence had the difference made up by 100 feet and never trailed from there on for the win.

Ferre with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

Torrence will have a bye in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Clay Millican                         333 Shawn Langdon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  3.740 324.36                     0.069  3.970 235.39
 Qualified:            #10  5.002 141.88                        #5  3.775 319.90

This is the 326th race for Clay Millican and the 267th for Shawn Langdon.

Langdon is 13 - 7 against Millican in prior events.

Langdon with the starting line advantage, but Millican had the lead by the time they went by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. Millican with his quickest pass of the weekend, but will give up lane choice to Brown in the next round.

Langdon was on a great pass and then it started to mix up cylinders around 1/8 mile.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  448 Kebin Kinsley                           1 Steve Torrence               
E1                   0.109  3.937 285.95     ****WINNER****  0.063  3.736 325.45
 Qualified:            #13  6.276 109.60                        #2  3.731 330.39

The #13 TF qualifier has won twice in round 1 this year.

Steve Torrence's only first round loss this year has been to his father.

Torrence is 2 - 0 against Kinsley in prior events.

Torrence, the 2020 Top Fuel Champion, with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will have lane choice over Buff in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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