Sun, 3 Oct 2004, 12:43 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   12 Bob Vandergriff                         7 David Baca
E1   ****WINNER****  0.086  4.587 316.60                     0.118  4.583 324.67
 Qualified:             #9  4.615 309.63                        #8  4.558 329.83

11:04 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 29.47 inches, adjusted altitude 1,001 feet, track temperature 71 degrees.

This is Vandergriff's 126th start and he is facing his 42nd driver. This is the first meeting between these two.

A great side-by-side to start the day, both cars go right down the groove. Vandergriff got the advantage off the line and pulled away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  757 David Grubnic                           3 Tony Schumacher
E1                   0.071  4.497 333.58     ****WINNER****  0.074  4.477 331.04
 Qualified:            #10  4.622 324.28                        #7  4.542 329.02

Schumacher is 14-3 facing Grubnic. He has all three Kalitta cars on his side of the ladder.

A great side-by-side here, the quickest in NHRA history. Both cars go right down the groove, nothing wrong with either run. Schumacher takes the win and inches closer to the POWERade championship.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Brandon Bernstein                     317 T.J. Zizzo
E1   ****WINNER****  0.137  4.526 331.94                     0.091  4.602 324.36
 Qualified:             #6  4.541 333.41                       #11  4.622 322.27

This Bernstein's 28th race and he is facing his 28th different opponent. Zizzo is coming off the first round win of his career at Indy.

Zizzo gets the advantage off the line and hangs on until half-track. Bernstein reels him in, drives around, then pulls away for the win.

Brandon Bernstein's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.034), 330 ft(-0.024), 660ft(-0.005), 1,000ft(0.014). MOV: 0.0306 seconds (approximately 15 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   53 Brady Kalivoda                          9 Doug Herbert
E1                   0.052  4.649 321.19     ****WINNER****  0.087  4.567 325.30
 Qualified:            #12  4.625 325.30                        #5  4.540 322.88

This is the first meeting for these two. Kalivoda ran a career best ET and speed during qualifying yesterday.

Kalivoda gets the jump off the line, but Herbert quickly reels him in, driving around Kalivoda before they reach the 330' mark. He continues to pull away and takes the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 John Smith                            104 Clay Millican
E1   ****WINNER****  0.071  4.573 322.42                     0.076  4.571 321.27
 Qualified:            #13  4.634 306.74                        #4  4.540 326.16

This is the first meeting between these two. Millican is 33-31 in NHRA competition.

This was a good one. Smith leaves just a tick quicker, then Millican pulls even at the sixty foot mark. Smith pulls ahead again, then Millican starts moving around, going from one side of the lane to the other. Smith hangs on to take the win by .0032 seconds.

John Smith's incremental margins: 60ft(0.000), 330 ft(0.017), 660ft(0.013), 1,000ft(0.005). MOV: 0.0032 seconds (approximately 18 inches).

Herbert will have lane choice over Smith in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  345 Bruce Litton                          319 Scott Kalitta
E1                   0.115  4.672 314.39     ****WINNER****  0.086  4.524 332.18
 Qualified:            #14  4.690 316.90                        #3  4.517 332.34

Another good race, both dragsters right down the groove, Kalitta leaves first and extends his lead all the way through the run. He will have lane choice over Bernstein in round two by just .002 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Rhonda Hartman-Smith                    2 Doug Kalitta
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  4.659 311.41                     0.096  4.684 280.60
 Qualified:            #15  4.698 321.96                        #2  4.496 330.63

This is Kalitta's 21st start from the number two spot. He holds a 9-2 advantage in match-ups against Hartman-Smith.

Kalitta makes up the difference on the starting line at the 330' mark and starts to pull away. He gets about 700 feet out and starts hazing the tires. The engine starts mixing up cylinders, then Hartman-Smith drives around and takes the upset win. She will take on Schumacher in round two, Schumacher with lane choice.

Kalitta blew the engine just before he went through the lights, deposits some oil on the track, and we'll be down for a few minutes for cleanup.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  743 Morgan Lucas                            5 Cory McClenathan
E1   ****WINNER****  0.056  4.564 323.43                     0.108  7.822  97.46
 Qualified:            #16  4.716 310.41                        #1  4.490 328.62

This is Lucas' fifth start in this class. He defeated McClenethen in round one in Indy. This McClenethan's 29th start from the number one position.

Lucas gets the hole-shot and starts pulling away. McClenethan gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Lucas will have lane choice Vandergriff in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink