Sun, 14 Nov 2004, 02:33 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 40th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Larry Dixon                           743 Morgan Lucas
E1                   0.097  4.516 327.43     ****WINNER****  0.073  4.519 325.77
 Qualified:             #8  4.534 326.16                        #9  4.546 317.49

10:58 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71.5 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 28.98 inches, adjusted altitude 2,167 feet, track temperature 90 degrees. Clear blue skies without any chance of rain for several days.

The Darrell Russell auction went well beyond the expectation of the organizers with over $270,000 raised last night between the live and silent auction. There will be an Internet auction in the near future, as there so many items volunteered for the Russell family.

One win each for these two in prior meetings. Lucas has qualified eight times this year, with four times each in the top and bottom half of the field. Almost identical ET's for the pair, but Lucas is out of the gate first and stays ahead for the win. A great side by side race to start eliminations.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  757 David Grubnic                          53 Brady Kalivoda
E1   ****WINNER****  0.097  4.543 329.42                     0.214  5.109 223.17
 Qualified:             #7  4.522 327.90                       #10  4.594 316.30

Kalivoda's twentieth start is a new careen best of 4.594 in Bill Miller's new Don Long dragster. He has split wins with Grubnic in their prior starts.Kalivoda goes in deep and the car is very sluggish off the line. It looked like major engine damage further down the track. Grubnic's new Zantrex 3 sponsorship must be helping as he makes a nice clean pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  104 Clay Millican                           5 Cory McClenathan
E1                   0.043  4.606 320.58     ****WINNER****  0.088  4.546 325.69
 Qualified:             #6  4.521 322.04                       #11  4.598 319.22

A surprising bit of information is that Cory McClenathan is the only active driver who has won this race. Millican is making his thirty-third NHRA start and has a 33 to 32 round win record to date. Millican is out first and stays ahead until after the 330 lights. McClenathan has the tune up and pulls ahead to take the win. Cory McClenathan's MOV: 0.0155 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Brandon Bernstein                      36 Scott Weis
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  4.718 304.46                     0.084  8.579  96.78
 Qualified:             #5  4.517 329.26                       #12  4.600 321.12

Bernstein and Weis have one win each in their prior meetings. Even start, but Weis is behind by the 330 lights when the tires kick into major smoke. Bernstein may have ducked a bullet when the engine starts to drop cylinders early in the run. He slows from his prior performance.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  319 Scott Kalitta                          10 Rhonda Hartman-Smith
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  4.542 326.95                     0.111 13.701  59.52
 Qualified:             #4  4.509 322.34                       #13  4.602 320.43

11:13 a.m. We have a brief delay while the sweeper makes a pass down the track in both lanes. No oil dry, so it just precautionary

Kalitta was the runner-up last year and has a four to one career advantage over Hartman-Smith. This race is her last planned appearance in Top Fuel and has been to the semi final round at the last two races. It's over early as Kalitta is away first and Hartman-Smith has major smoke off the tires before the 60 foot lights. Kalitta makes a strong clean pass and will gain lane choice over Bernstein in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 David Baca                              9 Doug Herbert
E1   ****WINNER****  0.089  4.568 325.06                     0.095  4.611 321.96
 Qualified:             #3  4.487 327.43                       #14  4.606 314.46

Both families have a long and rich drag racing history and tradition. David Baca's dad won the race here in 1977 against the current NHRA Senior Vice President - Racing Operations, Graham Light. Baca and Herbert are three and three in prior meetings. Baca's slicks black track from start to finish as he pulls steadily away from Herbert to get the win. He will give up lane choice to McClenathan later in the day.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Tony Schumacher                         8 John Smith
E1   ****WINNER****  0.102  4.494 325.45                     0.063  7.231 125.66
 Qualified:             #2  4.485 327.11                       #15  4.615 308.99

Schumacher has a chance to set the new seasonal win record here today (10). He has a big six to one win advantage over Smith. This will be John Smith's seventy-fifth career start. John Smith must have had the same turn up as his wife's car, as he too is up in smoke off the line. Schumacher runs another great looking four forty pass and will have lane choice over Grubnic next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Doug Kalitta                          835 Andrew Cowin
E1   ****WINNER****  0.117  4.598 274.61                     0.102  8.931  76.73
 Qualified:             #1  4.472 328.62                       #16  4.640 314.97

Kalitta ends the season with his seventh #1 qualifying position. He has a 4-2 win advantage over Cowin. This will be Andrew Cowin's fifty-fifth race day start. In a replay of the prior pair, Cowin smokes the tires and Kalitta makes a great looking pass until near the topend where the engine goes silent. Lucas will still have lane choice next round.

11:23 a.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink