Sun, 10 Oct 2004, 04:17 PM Top Fuel Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Tony Schumacher                        12 Bob Vandergriff
E4   ****WINNER****  0.081  4.475 329.99                     0.082  8.206  99.48
 Prior rounds:
E3    (R Hartman-Sm) 0.079  4.500 328.54      (S Kalitta   ) 0.064  5.056 283.43
E2    (B Bernstein ) 0.091  4.467 324.36      (D Grubnic   ) 0.084  4.611 295.66
E1    (S Weis      ) 0.102  4.482 329.34      (C McClenatha) 0.089  5.577 283.19
 Qualified:             #4  4.516 319.60                       #10  4.640 299.46

4:10 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.44 inches, adjusted altitude 1,102 feet, track temperature 76 degrees.

This was Vandergriff's seventh final round appearance but he has never won in his previous six times in the final round. Schumacher already clinched the championship today.

The driver got off the starting line at almost the same time. Schumacher started to pull ahead and then at about 330 feet, flames started shooting out of the headers on Vandergriff's car and he shut it down. Schumacher went on to get the win with his second-quickest lap of the weekend. This was Schumacher's ninth win of the season and ties Larry Dixon and Gary Scelzi for most Top Fuel wins in a season.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink