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IHRA INFLUENCE

The first round of Top Fuel in Atlanta featured five former IHRA champions: Don Garlits, Doug Herbert, Don Lampus, Paul Romine, and current champ Clay Millican. Only Millican advanced, however, as he disposed of Lampus and then Brandon Bernstein in round three before falling to eventual race winner Larry Dixon in the semis.

ROMINE IS HOT STUFF

You wouldn't know it if you watched the Southern Nats on ESPN, but Paul Romine experienced a major engine explosion in the opening round of eliminations that rivaled Larry Dixon's highly publicized qualifying fire a day earlier.

Romine was running alongside Tony Schumacher when his engine suddenly let go at about the 1,000-foot mark. The fire burned the parachutes, but the Indianapolis-based driver was uninjured and able to bring the car to a safe halt.

FUNNY CAR

Whit Bazemore may have been the most disappointed driver on the grounds after blowing the tires off in his semi-final match against Tony Pedregon, since Pedregon posted a very vulnerable 5.10 in the right lane. It was Bazemore's sixth straight semi-final appearance, but he has not advanced to win an event since the Atlanta race last year.

PRO STOCK

An unusual abundance of space for an NHRA national event was available behind the Atlanta grandstands because the Pro Stock teams were pitted far off from the rest of the pro ranks. Apparently some P/S team owners objected all the way to Glendora about parking on the grass, so NHRA moved them to the only available pavement -- beyond the manufacturer's midway, down near the finish line. Only Mark Pawuk's Summit-backed P/S team remained in the main pro area for the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

The Pro Stock entries of Allen Johnson (far lane) and Darrell Alderman ran side-by-side in the first qualifying session. Johnson's car is listed as a 2003 Stratus, while Alderman's is said to be a 1999 Neon. You be the judge.

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