Autolite Nationals


Elimination Rnd 1 Results
Elimination Rnd 2 Results
Elimination Rnd 3 Results
Final Round Results


Top Fuel Dragster

Results for Elimination 1 
SONOMA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 1 eliminations in 
Top Fuel at the 12th Annual Autolite Nationals:
 W/L  Driver                                 RT        ET   Speed
 
 (W) Mike Dunn (McKinney-Dodge)             0.474     4.670 305.91
 (L) Joe Amato (McKinney-TFX)               0.483     8.033  90.77

11:01 AM-We hear Bob Frey say 'Let's go racing!', and the first pair 
comes to life.  Dunn gets the leave on Amato but the 'Prock Rocket' is 
smoking the tires off the concrete.  Dunn gets the win but makes the Top Fuel 
sacrifice to the  aluminum gods.
 (W) Tony Schumacher (McKinney-TFX)         0.504     4.660 318.84
 (L) Doug Herbert (McKinney-KB)             0.502     4.664 304.67

Margin of victory = 0.002 seconds (approximately 11 inches) and it 
looked just that close on the Winston TV in the Media center.  Almost even 
reaction times and they were side by side until Herbert's machine started 
eating it's self just before the lights.
 (W) Doug Kalitta (McKinney-TFX)            0.483     4.596 316.75
 (L) Randy Parks (Hadman-KB)                0.000(R) (Broke)

Parks makes the burnout but shuts the car off as he returned to the 
starting.  On a single for Kallita he sets low ET of the round so far.  He 
does appear to push a head gasket just short of the lights and has a small 
fire.  That pass will go a long way towards securing lane choice in round 
two.
  
 (W) Kenny Bernstein (McKinney-TFX)         0.502     4.637 309.42
 (L) David Grubnic (Hadman-TFX)             0.509    12.755  77.55

Bernstein has no problem securing his 500th round win and lane choice 
over Tony Schumacher in round two.  Grubnic was close to the Bud King at the 
leave but traction problems ended his day.
 (W) Bob Vandergriff (McKinney-TFX)         0.510     4.637 314.09
 (L) Garth Widdison (Dragster-TFX)          0.518     4.873 297.88

Vandergriff did not take Widdison lightly.  After losing in the first 
round after qualifying #1 at Atlanta he streaks away to an easy win.  
Vandergriff will have lane choice over Mike Dunn in round two.
 (W) Gary Scelzi (Hadman-TFX)               0.517     4.643 311.05
 (L) Larry Dixon (McKinney-KB)              0.521     5.709 161.87

Dixon falls victim to the dreaded tire smoke bug and 'Big Red' 
continues on to the next round.  Dixon made it further that others in the 
right lanes as they were side by side until half track.
 (W) Cory McClenathan (McKinney-TFX)        0.493     4.625 317.42
 (L) Robert Reehl (McKinney-TFX)            0.534    11.665  83.75

There are only so many ways to say tire smoke and that's happened to 
Rheel.  To make matters even more expensive there is a trail of oil in 
Rheel's lane that starts at half track.  Cory Mac makes a nice pass in the 
other lane but it was going to take a miracle to top Kalitta's 4.59 for the 
lane choice. I'm sure he will settle for the round win.  Currently the track 
is in bright sunlight and even though the weather forcast calls for only 72 
degrees we are in bright sunlight and the track surface is warming 
quickly.
 (W) Jim Head (Davis-TFX)                   0.487     4.785 304.80
 (L) Eddie Hill (McKinney-TFX)              0.522     8.054  98.30

Head's crew was busy yesterday pulling all the stuff off the car that 
got into the concrete wall after the front wheel broke off before half track. 
A rules change that occured two year's ago after Eddie Hill's crash now 
allows teams to place a backup car into the field under just these 
circumstances.  This time lane choice does not payoff for Hill as he is 
smoking the tires by 300 feet.  Head makes a safe, straight pass in the 
reassembled racer.  Head races Scelzi in  the next round and will not have 
lane choice.
   
















Top Fuel Dragster



Results for Elimination 2





SONOMA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Fuel at the 12th Annual Autolite Nationals:
 W/L  Driver                                 RT        ET   Speed
 
 (W) Jim Head (Davis-TFX)                   0.512     5.150 302.48
 (L) Gary Scelzi (Hadman-TFX)               0.510     5.617 218.83

A big upset here with both cars glued together for about three feet . Head is up in smoke and Scelzi looks to be on a easy one until he starts to shake the tires and is up in smoke by the 330. Head and Scelzi have a pedaling match and Head rushes
 ahead to win.
 (W) Tony Schumacher (McKinney-TFX)         0.504     4.644 317.87
 (L) Kenny Bernstein (McKinney-TFX)         0.496     6.974 112.51

Bernstein is out in front, but immediately shakes and smokes. Schumacher makes it look easy
 (W) Doug Kalitta (McKinney-TFX)            0.475     4.753 301.27
 (L) Cory McClenathan (McKinney-TFX)        0.504     5.071 204.57

A good race to mid-track. McClenathan mixes them up and begins to slow. Kalitta drops a cylinder right away, but is able to keep the rest lit for the win.
 (W) Bob Vandergriff (McKinney-TFX)         0.504     4.789 283.97
 (L) Mike Dunn (McKinney-Dodge)             0.501     5.299 204.66

If last round is any indication,this should be a good race. Reaction times and ET's were very close. They are together though 60ft and Vandergriff pulls ahead as Dunn has the dreaded tire smoke and slows.
  
















Top Fuel Dragster



Results for Elimination 3





SONOMA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 3 eliminations in
Top Fuel at the 12th Annual Autolite Nationals:
 W/L  Driver                                 RT        ET   Speed

 (W) Doug Kalitta (McKinney-TFX)            0.475     4.673 304.25
 (L) Bob Vandergriff (McKinney-TFX)         0.500     4.702 310.91

Kalitta goes into the finals for the second year in a row. Great side
by side pass.
 (W) Tony Schumacher (McKinney-TFX)         0.494     4.661 320.74
 (L) Jim Head (Davis-TFX)                   0.469     4.812 307.72

Schumacher is the king of speed this week end. Looks like he has reset
the MPH track record again.

















Top Fuel Dragster



Results for Final Round





SONOMA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of final round eliminations in Top Fuel at the 12th Annual Autolite Nationals:
 W/L  Driver                                 RT        ET   Speed
 
 (W) Doug Kalitta (McKinney-TFX)            0.472     4.615 315.93
 (L) Tony Schumacher (McKinney-TFX)         0.484     5.023 216.17

For the second year in a row Kalitta is our champion. He leaves on Schumacher and motors on down for the win. Schumacher slows dramatically after a blower explosion. 



This brings an end to the days racing....
  












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