Sun, 29 Oct 2000, 04:54 PM HOUSTON-2 - Top Fuel Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 4th annual Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Cory McClenathan    4.540 321.35  Q   16 Bobby Baldwin       4.769 304.53
   (B Walsh     ) 0.509  4.587 319.37  E1   (M Dunn      ) 0.576  5.341 189.07
   (D Kalitta   ) 0.531  4.548  36.21  E2   (D Herbert   ) 0.552  4.860 264.80
   (B Vandergrif) 0.501  4.591 318.24  E3   (J Amato     ) 0.580  5.604 213.00
 *****WINNER***** 0.564  4.564 318.24  E4                  0.000 No Time

4:49 PM Baldwin's crew, with parts and mechanical assistance from Gary Densham's AAA Club Funny Car team, thrashed and put the car back together for the final round, but the string and chewing gum came apart when they fired the engine and the car just sat there, smoke and steam rising from the engine compartment. A brave try came up just short - but it probably didn't matter anyway. Cory Mac's MBNA Dragster showed that they didn't back it down one bit, running another mid-fifty, right down the groove with no tire smoke anywhere in the run.