Sun, 1 Oct 2000, 11:38 AM TOPEKA - Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 12th annual Advance Auto Parts Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Bob Vandergriff     4.693 309.06  Q    8 Don Lampus          4.677 299.66
 *****WINNER***** 0.501  4.804 298.14  E1                  0.461  4.897 270.75

Under sunny skies with the temperature in the high seventies, humidity is 49% and the barometer is 29.78 inches. Lampus drilled Vandergriff on the tree, but Vandergriff made up a bunch of that by the 100-foot mark. Then Vandergriff had a lot of tire shake and had to pedal it and drove on by Lampus to take the win. Lampus lost traction at the transition from the concreate to asphalt and then starting mixing up the cylinders. He then had an engine explosion right in the lights with a big ball of fire.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 David Grubnic       4.703 315.05  Q    7 Melanie Troxel      4.645 308.07
                  0.490  5.190 187.65  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.477  4.685 312.06

They leave almost together and Grubnic is ahead at half track, but the the engine went away with quick puff of smoke. That was when Melanie drove by to take the win and if Schumacher can take out Hartman-Smith they will face off in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Larry Dixon         4.643 306.95  Q   11 Doug Herbert        4.723 287.23
 *****WINNER***** 0.499  4.663  30.10  E1                  0.458  4.714 303.16

Herbert was out of the gate first on Dixon and was still in the lead at half track. But then Dixon was able to chase him down in the back half of the track. Margin of victory = 0.010 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Cory McClenathan    4.639 309.98  Q   12 Tim Gibson          4.724 298.93
 *****WINNER***** 0.494  4.706 308.14  E1                  0.478  8.796  86.90

Gibson left on McClenathan, but was blistering those Goodyears by the 100-foot mark. After all the tire smoke cleared you could see just how close Gibson got to the wall. I would not of wanted to be standing next to the wall it was that close. Good pass for Cory Mac.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Gary Scelzi         4.604 309.98  Q   16 Luigi Novelli       4.835 298.60
 *****WINNER***** 0.520  4.610 311.70  E1                  0.494 10.208  86.53

Novelli did his job on the tree, but was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Scelzi right down broadway with the quickest et in this round so far, and will have his choice against Vandergriff in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Rhonda Hartman-Smi  4.818 302.62  Q    2 Tony Schumacher     4.612 313.73
                  0.491  4.719 304.74  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.517  4.638 313.07

Hartman-Smith did her job on the starting line, but Schumacher had caught her by half track and just motored on through the quarter-mile to take the win light. He will have lane choice in his match up against teammate Troxel.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Kenny Bernstein     4.616 313.15  Q   13 Joe Amato           4.749 296.44
                  0.503  4.685 309.34  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.477  4.673 311.77

This is a great match up here and Amato won this one on both ends of the track. He left on him on the tree and just stretched it out from there. Amato will have lane choice over McClenathan in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Doug Kalitta        4.612 311.34  Q   14 Paul Romine         4.816 299.86
 *****WINNER***** 0.490  4.632 307.44  E1                  0.485  9.010  75.92

Romine launched first and into big time tire smoke. Kalitta with nice looking pass the second quickest in round one and will have lane choice over Dixon.