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DIXON EXTENDS POINTS LEAD
NHRA POWERade Top Fuel points leader Larry Dixon and the
Miller Lite/Don Prudhomme Racing team extended their points lead to
127 (1,742 to 1,615) over Kenny Bernstein after reaching the quarterfinal
round.
Dixon had to race Cory McClenathan in the quarterfinals
and when the pair reached the finish line, Cory Mac had edged Dixon
by the narrow margin of 13-thousandths of a second. Dixon motored to
a time of 4.638 seconds, 323.43 mph to Cory Mac's effort of 4.598 seconds,
317.12 mph.
"We certainly wanted to win," said Dixon. "You've
got to give credit to Cory Mac and Wes Cerney, their car stepped up.
They outran us and got the win. I guess the consolation prize of the
whole deal is being able to get a round of points on Kenny. It ain't
no different than if we both went to the finals, and we beat them, either
way we still gain 20. So if we can gain 20 at every race from here on
out we should be in good shape." -- Jay Wells
HERBERT GETS FIRST NO. 1 QUALIFIER
Doug Herbert and his Snap-on Racing team were smiling
Saturday night after Herbert claimed his first No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying
position in NHRA competition. Herbert's career-best run of 4.518 seconds
at 324.59 mph on Friday night held up to the challenges of the other
drivers, giving the Cherryville, N.C. driver the top starting spot in
his 190th NHRA event.
If perfect is winning the race, nearly perfect in this
case was qualifying No. 1 for the first time in his NHRA career while
running his quickest elapsed time and advancing to the semifinals.
"We had a great racecar all weekend," said Herbert.
"We need to get our cylinder-dropping problems figured out. The
only run we made all weekend that it didn't drop a cylinder was the
4.518."
Herbert knocked out Luigi Novelli and Rhonda Hartman-Smith
before meeting Kalitta. In qualifying, Herbert's times were 4.651, 4.518,
4.650 and 4.624.
- Joe Sherk
ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK FOR CORY MAC
Even with a semifinal round appearance Cory McClenathan,
driver of the Henkelman & Baca Centennial Batteries Top Fuel Dragster,
still lost ground in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series point standings.
The opening round of eliminations was the proverbial "Big
Round". McClenathan was matched against Tony Schumacher. Schumacher
is third in the NHRA POWERade point standing, McClenathan is fourth.
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McClenathan gave up a little at the starting lights but
made up the difference on Schumacher by quarter-track. By half-track
it was over as Schumacher's Army Dragster nosed over. With his sights
on the finish line, McClenathan crossed first but not without problems.
"Just as I let off the throttle it blew up,"
said McClenathan as he recounted his first round win over Schumacher.
The subsequent oil down, caused by the engine explosion,
was costly for McClenathan as he not only automatically lost lane choice
but also was penalized 10 critical points. - Mickey Schultz
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