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Friday
Results for Qualifying 1
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at
the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented by Castrol listing
lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:
Left Lane: Jim Bailey Runs 4.967/266.19, Now #2
Right Lane: Shirley MuldowneyRuns 4.808/240.25, Now #1
7:54 PM There are ten Top Fuel cars here, but four of them, surprisingly,
elected to skip this round - despite weather forecasts that suggest it might be the
only qualifying round!
Shirley was on a very good run, but the
header flames went out around the 1,000-foot marker. She was running 261.93 mph at
half track, taking 3.128 seconds to get there, easily a seventies pace. Bailey's
car was slow off the line and struggled through the run.
Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.200/214.33, Now #4
Right Lane: Bruce Litton Runs 4.822/299.70, Now #2
Head and Litton were both much slower off the starting line than Muldowney,
0.89 60-foot times to her 0.85, and Head was slow to half track as well, his speed
only 236.71 at that marker. Litton's header flames stayed up all the way through
the lights.
Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 7.203/111.89, Now #6
Right Lane: Paul Romine Runs 5.033/199.60, Now #4
Wow! Millican launched, started to rattle the tires, pedaled, then lost
traction completely. Romine was on a pretty good run, 3.253 seconds and 260.04 mph
at half track, but his header flames went out well before the 1,000-foot
marker.
Friday
Order for Qualifying 1
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Order after one round of
qualifying in Top
Fuel at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals
presented by Castrol:
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Shirley Muldowney Dragster 4.808 240.25
2. Bruce Litton WIX Filters Dragster 4.822 299.70
3. Jim Bailey Snap-On Racing Dragster 4.967 266.19
4. Paul Romine CARQUEST Auto Parts Dragster 5.033 199.60
5. Jim Head Dragster 5.200 214.33
6. Clay Millican Werner Dragster 7.203 111.89
Saturday
Results for Qualifying 2
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at
the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented by Castrol listing
lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following
run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:
Right Lane: Donald Reed Runs 6.163/148.63, Now #6
No Prior Run
3:33 PM Well, those who gambled on the weather last night lucked out, they
get a chance to run today. Reed's car labored off the line, a 0.935 60-foot time,
but he appeared to be on his way to a low five-second ET, maybe a four, until the
engine exploded in a ball of fire, with a heavy BOOM that could be felt wall the
way back here on the second floor of the tower. The fire blew out the rear tires
but Reed managed to get the car safely stopped in the shutdown area, a large trail
of oil from half track to about a quarter mile into the shutdown area. This was
Reed's first pass of the year, so he's now fifteen points in arrears in the
drivers' championship.
Left Lane: Louie Allison Runs 5.086/243.96, Now #5
No Prior Run
Right Lane: Roger Dean Runs 5.524/204.31, Now #7
No Prior Run
The cleanup was a major one, the blustery winds scattering the oil dry across
both lanes. The good news is, both drivers have freshly prepped lanes to run on.
Allison planned to run last night, but the crew stripped a spark plug and had to
replace the heads at the last minute, barely missing the round. Dean had problems
backing up after the burnout, the car making a hard left turn and heading for the
left lane, and then the crew had a last-minute panic trying to get the burnout
throttle stop off the linkage on the air scoop. But both cars made it down the
track, Dean's going silent just past half track and Allison's around 1,000
feet.
Left Lane: Paul Romine Runs 4.803/294.98, Now #2
Best prior run: 5.033/199.60, Was #4
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.764/310.02, Now #1
Best prior run: 7.203/111.89, Was #9
There are nine cars here and eight of them will run in this session, Shirley
Muldowney skipping the session with car damage.
Both cars made clean, straight runs here, Millican first to the finish line and
going from the outhouse to the penthouse, bumping Reed from the field.
Left Lane: Bruce Litton Runs 6.618/121.31, Now #4
Best prior run: 4.822/299.70, Was #4
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.098/258.39, Now #7
Best prior run: 5.200/214.33, Was #7
Two troubled runs here, Litton with a dead cylinder on the left side, the car
steadily drifting toward the wall until he lifted. Head had a dead cylinder or two
of his own, the car well off the incremental times posted by Millican and
Romine.
Right Lane: Jim Bailey Runs 4.970/272.89, Now #5
Best prior run: 4.967/266.19, Was #5
Last car. Bailey hiked the front wheels a couple feet in the air on the
launch and pretty much matched Litton's incremental times early in the run. Unlike
Litton, Bailey's car went right down the groove and he didn't have to lift early.
That's it for now, under partly cloudy skies we are looking for the weather
to hold off and allow us to have the traditional "Night of Fire" in a few
hours.
Saturday
Order for Qualifying 2
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Order after 2 rounds of
qualifying in Top Fuel
at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented
by Castrol:
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Clay Millican Werner Dragster 4.764 310.02
2. Paul Romine CARQUEST Auto Parts Dragster 4.803 294.98
3. Shirley Muldowney Dragster 4.808 240.25
4. Bruce Litton WIX Filters Dragster 4.822 299.70
5. Jim Bailey Snap-On Racing Dragster 4.967 272.89
6. Louie Allison Vista Foods Dragster 5.086 243.96
7. Jim Head Dragster 5.098 258.39
8. Roger Dean Rupert Oil Dragster 5.524 204.31
--------- Not Qualified ---------
9. Donald Reed Dragster 6.163 148.63
Saturday
Results for Qualifying 3
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top
Fuel at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented by Castrol
listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order
following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:
Left Lane: Jim Bailey Runs 13.703/80.60, Now #5
Best prior run: 4.967/266.19, Was #5
Right Lane: Bruce Litton Runs 4.795/303.54, Now #2
Best prior run: 4.822/299.70, Was #4
10:25 PM Only four of the teams elected to run in this night session, the
rest of the crew chiefs feeling the track was too cold to tell them much about
tomorrow's eliminations. But these four are running for the points lead and can't
afford to lose the five-point round bonus for a clean (oil-free) pass. Bailey
chattered the tires immediately and shut it down, but Litton stuck it to the track
and moved into the second spot, just 0.03 seconds behind Millican.
Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.958/243.11, Now #1
Best prior run: 4.764/310.02, Was #1
Right Lane: Paul Romine Runs 5.006/210.67, Now #3
Best prior run: 4.803/294.98, Was #3
Mike Kloeber put a new blower on Millican's car for this run, ready to make
an assault on the Top Fuel ET record and needing another tenth to do so. Both left
cleanly, 0.87 60-foot times in both lanes, but Millican started to spin the tires
and pedaled it early and then both drivers shut it off very early, the reason not
clear from here.
That's it for now, Millican slated to race Roger Dean in round one.
Saturday
Order for Qualifying 3
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Final order after 3 rounds
of qualifying in
Top Fuel at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals
presented by
Castrol:
Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed
1. Clay Millican Werner Dragster 4.764 310.02
2. Bruce Litton WIX Filters Dragster 4.795 303.54
3. Paul Romine CARQUEST Auto Parts Dragster 4.803 294.98
4. Shirley Muldowney Dragster 4.808 240.25
5. Jim Bailey Snap-On Racing Dragster 4.967 272.89
6. Louie Allison Vista Foods Dragster 5.086 243.96
7. Jim Head Dragster 5.098 258.39
8. Roger Dean Rupert Oil Dragster 5.524 204.31
--------- Not Qualified ---------
9. Donald Reed Dragster 6.163 148.63
Sunday
Results for Elimination Round 1
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top
Fuel at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented by Castrol:
W/L Driver RT ET Speed
(W) Jim Bailey (Snap-On Racing Dragster) 0.542 4.939 274.05
(L) Shirley Muldowney (goracing.com Dragster) 0.519 11.859 74.82
5:10 PM From fog-bound Grand Bend, this is really just the first round of
eliminations for Top Fuel. Shirley's car launched, shuddered, and the flames went
out. Bailey launched with all eight lit, mixed them up a bit on his way down the
track, but made a full pass for the win light and his best ET and speed of the
weekend.
(W) Paul Romine (CARQUEST Auto Parts Dragster) 0.495 5.125 240.12
(L) Louie Allison (Vista Foods Dragster) 0.485 5.856 143.70
The Sun is starting to burn through the fog, the best sight we've seen all
day.
This one started out looking like a sure win for Allison, Romine
slow off the line and Allison ahead to half track. However, by the time Allison
reached the half-track marker the front end was starting up and the car went into a
full blowover, the car flipping over backward, shedding body panels all over the
track. and sliding backward, upside down, through the lights, stopping about a
quarter mile past the finish line, on fire. The PTS crew got there quickly and put
the fire out, Allison getting out of the car and apparently uninjured. Jack
Ostrander, Allison's car owner, was planning to debut a new car later this year -
looks like he'll need it for Cordova because this one is a writeoff.
(W) Bruce Litton (WIX Filters Dragster) 0.505 4.697 306.64
(L) Jim Head (Dragster) 0.537 4.690 303.64
Ironically, Head was up in the tower during the fog delay, talking about
"torque-overs," the result of the clutch locking up and the tires not slipping,
engine torque literally rotating the car about the rear axle. Head runs a wheelie
bar and needed it yesterday, his car getting the front end up a couple feet at
half track when the clutch locked up.
This was a great drag race, Litton
winning on a holeshot by a margin of victory = 0.025 seconds (approximately 11
feet). Litton has lane choice over Romine in the semifinals.
(W) Clay Millican (Werner Dragster) 0.533 4.713 318.92
(L) Roger Dean (Rupert Oil Dragster) 0.538 5.296 281.33
Dean ran his run, but Millican was long gone by the time Dean reached the
finish line, easily earning lane choice against Bailey in the semifinals.
Sunday
Results for Elimination Round 2
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top
Fuel at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented by Castrol:
W/L Driver RT ET Speed
(W) Jim Bailey (Snap-On Racing Dragster) 0.521 5.025 261.47
(L) Clay Millican (Werner Dragster) 0.515 6.737 120.51
7:46 PM Millican was away first and was quicker to 330 feet, then his header
flames went out and raw fuel came from the pipes, probably a broken blower belt.
Bailey won unopposed and will be in the final round.
(W) Bruce Litton (WIX Filters Dragster) 0.535 4.656 315.23
(L) Paul Romine (CARQUEST Auto Parts Dragster) 0.472 10.396 81.54
Litton resets the World ET record , his earlier 4.697 close enough to serve
as a backup, while Romine battles for traction. Litton beats Romine easily, taking
away the record Romine set at Rockingham last year. He also exceeds the current
speed record, but doesn't have a speed within the required one percent to serve as
a backup. Needless to say, Litton has lane choice against Bailey in the final
round.
Sunday
Results for Final Round
GRAND BEND, Ont. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of final, round 3 eliminations
in Top Fuel at the Second annual Mopar Performance Parts Nationals presented by
Castrol:
W/L Driver RT ET Speed
(W) Jim Bailey (Snap-On Racing Dragster) 0.515 4.914 286.16
(L) Bruce Litton (WIX Filters Dragster) 0.553 9.026 88.11
10:09 PM Bailey was an unlikely final round contestant, coming from the
bottom half of the ladder, while Litton qualified second and figured to have a good
shot at being here - and winning. So much for predictions. Bailey did his thing,
getting the car to the finish line, while Litton lost traction after a couple
hundred feet. he pedaled. smoked the tires again, and had to give it up. Bailey
pulls off the big upset of the weekend, taking out a car that had just set the ET
record in the semifinals. That's what makes drag racing such an interesting sport,
there are no style points, a win is a win is a win!
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