Sun, 14 Nov 2004, 06:19 PM Top Fuel Round 3 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 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
  743 Morgan Lucas                          319 Scott Kalitta
E3   ****WINNER****  0.088  4.615 312.64                     0.093  7.925  97.55
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Kalitta   ) 0.095  4.526 326.08      (B Bernstein ) 0.110  4.658 278.92
E1    (L Dixon     ) 0.073  4.519 325.77      (R Hartman-Sm) 0.072  4.542 326.95
 Qualified:             #9  4.546 317.49                        #4  4.509 322.34

3:04 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 41 percent, barometer 28.91 inches, adjusted altitude 2,190 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Lucas was ready, gets off the line first, and drives on down the track for a safe win. Kalitta was up in smoke at the hit.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Tony Schumacher                         7 David Baca
E3   ****WINNER****  0.136  4.477 329.34                     0.094  4.802 257.73
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Grubnic   ) 0.095  4.488 321.88      (C McClenatha) 0.104  4.859 287.11
E1    (J Smith     ) 0.102  4.494 325.45      (D Herbert   ) 0.089  4.568 325.06
 Qualified:             #2  4.485 327.11                        #3  4.487 327.43

Schumacher takes another step towards the record 10 race seasonal win with a near perfect run into the finals. Baca is ahead at 60 feet, but starts to drop cylinders. The car makes a move toward the centerline and it's finally over when the blower belt departs.

3:11 p.m. Schumacher will definitely have lane choice in the finals. 4.46 ET anyone?

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink