Sun, 23 Sep 2001, 07:37 PM MEMPHIS - Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 14th annual AutoZone NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Larry Dixon         4.581 309.70  Q    5 Mike Dunn           4.624 306.67
   (D Sosenka   ) 0.484  4.645 307.79  E1   (D Grubnic   ) 0.495  4.692 310.77
   (T Schumacher) 0.481  4.711 305.70  E2   (G Scelzi    ) 0.479  4.724 301.94
 *****WINNER***** 0.473  4.682 307.30  E3                  0.500  4.675 312.93

Dixon did his job on the starting line here with the hole shot win. Dixon with a quicker time to every incremental except 1000 foot and finish line. Margin of victory = 0.020 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Kenny Bernstein     4.600 318.99  Q    7 Doug Kalitta        4.681 303.43
   (J Cavalieri ) 0.477  4.625 315.86  E1   (R Hartman-Sm) 0.504  4.679 298.01
   (D Russell   ) 0.500  4.628 314.53  E2   (D Herbert   ) 0.493  4.684 306.67
 *****WINNER***** 0.480  4.691 311.13  E3                  0.490  4.956 289.07

Bernstein just saw Dixon win and he did his job on the tree with the starting line advantage. Kalitta had made up the difference by 60 feet and had him covered until just past 330 feet when he blistered the Goodyears to end his day. Bernstein will give up lane choice to Dixon in the final.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink