Sun, 12 Jun 2005, 01:29 PM Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GRAND BEND, Ont. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 2005 Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series, Sixth annual Mopar Canadian Nationals presented by Castrol:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  345 Bruce Litton                          323 Chris Karamesines            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.068  4.900 297.48                     0.262  4.986 246.93
 Qualified:             #4  4.909 294.50                        #5  4.983 259.71

1:16 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 80 percent, barometer 29.36 inches, adjusted altitude 2,629 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Litton got a huge holeshot, then it was pretty much an even race, Litton slowly extending his early lead.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  301 Louie Allison                           9 Rick Cooper                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.102  4.966 252.85                    -0.117  5.030 293.73
 Qualified:             #3  4.809 291.76                        #6  5.017 294.31

Cooper went way red. Allison made a pretty good run, but may have hurt the engine in the lights.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Doug Foley                              7 Todd Paton                   
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.460 14.736  96.45
 Qualified:             #2  4.779 282.42                        #7  5.035 255.97

Foley's car had a dead cylinder on the burnout and then the engine died as he started to stage. Paton wisely saved the parts, taking an easy cruise down the lane, giving lane choice to Allison in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Clay Millican                         777 Paul Athey                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.055  4.705 306.33                     0.098  5.140 268.33
 Qualified:             #1  4.748 288.03                        #8  5.086 288.39

This was over quickly, Millican with a flawless run while Athey was down one cylinder from the start. Millican has lane choice against Litton in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink