Mon, 07 Sep 2026, 13:05 PM Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

INDIANAPOLIS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   14 Tony Stewart                          123 Antron Brown                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.055  3.740 336.74                     0.056  3.838 319.82
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Zizzo     ) 0.044  3.717 334.40      (I Zetterstro) 0.065  3.737 333.74
 Qualified:             #2  3.744 328.22                       #10  3.797 330.07

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 30.10 inches, adjusted altitude 2,560 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

Brown is 4 - 3 against Stewart in prior events.

Stewart with a tick advantage on the tree and trailed for the win. Stewart kept it hooked up all the way down the track for the win.

Brown had a hole on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  777 Leah Pruett                           100 Maddi Gordon                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.069  3.975 265.38                     0.054  4.126 216.24
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Hart      ) 0.070  3.713 333.66      (B Torrence  ) 0.035  3.763 336.99
 Qualified:             #5  3.772 326.24                       #13  3.818 324.67

Pruett is 2 - 1 against Gordon in prior events.

Gordon with the starting line advantage, but starts to spin the tires, she stays with it. Pruett starts to lose traction and pedals it an gets it to hook up enough for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Shawn Langdon                           3 Justin Ashley                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.053  3.791 323.19                     0.034  4.533 181.74
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Millican  ) 0.059  3.709 340.22      (S Reed      ) 0.031  3.750 329.58
 Qualified:             #1  3.727 334.98                        #8  3.781 331.12

Ashley is 17 - 14 against Langdon in prior events.

Ashley with the starting line advantage, but started to lose traction and clicked it off.

Langdon launched hard and then in the lights the engine let go with a huge explosion. there was a quick fireball and parts flying off the car. He still gets the win and will have lane choice over Pruett in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Doug Kalitta                          144 Tripp Tatum                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.067  4.209 210.24                     0.087  4.304 245.18
 Prior rounds:
E1    (W Smith     ) 0.047  3.681 341.68      (J Salinas   ) 0.074  3.731 332.02
 Qualified:             #3  3.746 335.82                       #11  3.805 308.43

Tatum is 1 - 0 against Kalitta in prior events.

Kalitta with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Kalitta started to haze the tires around half track, but stayed with it to get the win. Apparently the word is Kalitta broke a rear end, but there was no fluids on the track. He will give up lane choice to Stewart in the semifinal.

Tatum lost traction early and pedaled it, but couldn't chase Kalitta down.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink