Sat, 13 Nov 1999, 09:02 PM BIG BUD SHOOTOUT - Top Fuel Final, Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan Two-Time Winner

POMONA, Calif. - Results of final, round 3 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 1999 Big Bud Top Fuel Shootout:

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Doug Kalitta        3.000  29.70  Q    1 Gary Scelzi         1.000  31.85
   (C McClenatha) 0.483  4.645 299.33  E1   (K Bernstein ) 0.470  4.701 292.46
   (J Amato     ) 0.480  5.018 226.62  E2   (T Schumacher) 0.507  4.626 317.19
                  0.474 10.176  77.35  E3 *****WINNER***** 0.469  4.595 320.43

5:32 PM Kalitta comes into the finals trying to become the first driver in ten years to win the Big Bud Shootout or Classic back-to-back. Scelzi comes in with lane choice and the bit in his teeth, seeking to win to make up (in a small way) for losing the Winston championship to Tony Schumacher this year and become the third driver ever to win it twice.

The race was over quickly, but it was close at the starting line, Scelzi a few thousandths quicker to react and Kalitta with a 0.833 60-foot time to Scelzi's 0.850. But then Kalitta's rear tires lost their grip while Scelzi's continued to pull hard, "The Big Red Machine" trucking right down the groove for an easy win and a $100,000 payday.