Sun, Oct 11, 07:22 PM MEMPHIS - Top Fuel Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 11th annual Pennzoil Nationals presented by AutoZone:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Kenny Bernstein     4.684 299.93  Q  16 Terry Mullins       4.796 258.62
   (D Herbert   ) 0.476  5.781 305.81 E1   (M Dunn      ) 0.486  4.701 314.53
 *****WINNER***** 0.559  4.603 321.42 E2                  0.000 (Broke)      

1:49 PM and it's time for the second round of Top Fuel, we're running a little behind. We have Mullins against Bernstein, Kenny with the lane choice. Mullins, after the upset of Dunn in the first round, can't get the car to fire, sending the King on a single. Mullins probably didn't have much of a chance, as Bernstein blisters the track setting the track speed record on this pass.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Tony Schumacher     4.681 293.09  Q  15 Shelly Anderson     4.795 283.07
   (E Hill      ) 0.479  4.698 308.99 E1   (L Dixon     ) 0.517  4.798 254.47
 *****WINNER***** 0.484  4.731 307.65 E2                  0.549 16.150  66.18

Shelly hits the throttle, then shuts down right off the line. Schumacher makes another impressive run trying to secure lane choice in the next round.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Joe Amato           4.619 314.97  Q   6 Bruce Sarver        4.672 306.05
   (S Smith     ) 0.484  4.666 316.08 E1   (J Head      ) 0.460  4.670 314.17
 *****WINNER***** 0.487  4.706 308.28 E2                  0.491 11.335  59.00

Back after a short cleanup, it's Amato and Sarver. Amato makes a good enough run to get lane choice over Schumacher next round. Sarver hits the throttle, breaks the tires loose, then explodes the engine. We're down again here at the Pennzoil-down nationals.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Cory McClenathan    4.623 312.78  Q   5 Gary Scelzi         4.671 302.08
   (D Kalitta   ) 0.496  4.572 311.56 E1   (B Vandergrif) 0.507  4.614 313.51
                  0.482  5.006 287.08 E2 *****WINNER***** 0.501  4.698 302.89

We're under way again, #1 and #2 in the points up next...Cory jumps out in the lead with the holeshot. He stays in front until half-track, then breaks the tires loose, Scelzi driving by as he does. In the next round it will be Bernstein with lane choice over Scelzi and Amato with lane choice over Schumacher.