W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Morgan Lucas (GEICO/Lucas Oil Dragster)     0.062      3.848 320.81
 (L) Antron Brown (Matco Tools/Aaron's Dragster) 0.042      5.894 117.05

Brown is 12 - 1 against Lucas in prior events and this is the first time they have faced each other in a final round. Brown is 11 straight, Lucas' only win coming at Brainerd in 2008. But this year, Lucas has had "the bad hot rod."

The streak is over, Brown was up in smoke in the first 100 feet of the run and Lucas made an untroubled full pass. That's Lucas' second event win this year, the sixth of his career, in 11 final round appearances.

 W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Mike Neff (Castrol GTX Mustang)             0.071      4.239 301.67
 (L) Ron Capps (NAPA Auto Parts Charger)         0.071      4.476 211.79

Neff is 6 - 4 against Capps in prior events and each has won 1 times against the other in final rounds. They leave together and then Capps grabbed a big lead until it started dropping cylinders and he got out of the groove and close to the centerline, while Neff is straight down the groove for the win. This is Neff's seventh wally and he is now qualified for the NHRa Traxxas Nitro Shootout. Team Force reams unbeaten in the final rounds this year.

 W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Vincent Nobile (Mountain View Tire Avenger) 0.009      6.595 210.14
 (L) Dave Connolly (Alamo Iron Works Cobalt)     0.011      6.604 210.41

This is the first time Connolly and Nobile have faced each other in eliminations. Both drivers are known for their prowess at the starting line, so a red light is not out of the question.

Connolly had a great light and left last! The race was everything it was built up to be, both drivers with great lights and a close race the rest of the way to the stripe. Vincent Nobile's incremental margins: 60ft(0.012), 330 ft(0.013), 660ft(0.013), 1,000ft(0.012). MOV: 0.0111 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

 W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Andrew Hines (Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines 0.000      6.905 194.52
 (L) Hector Arana Jr (Lucas Oil Buell)           0.026      6.886 196.33

Hines is 3 - 2 against Arana Jr in prior events and this is the first time they have faced each other in a final round. Hines is perfect on the tree and has the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Andrew Hines' MOV: 0.0077 seconds (approximately 2 feet). Hines collects his 26th Wally. hines with the win will leave here with the point lead.

 W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Danny Rowe (Sterling Bridge *'68 Camaro)    0.018      5.969 244.43
 (L) Kenny Lang (Summit Racing Equipment '69 Cam 0.047      6.043 238.51

Rowe and Lang have each won 1 times against the other in prior events and this is the first time they have faced each other in a final round.

Rowe was away first and steadily drove away from Lang. Lang's car trailed a lot of "death smoke" in the lights and the Safety Safari will have to do some touchup before the rest of the finals.

 * = Supercharged Engine

       

 W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Jim Whiteley (J&A Service/Rator TA/D)       0.034      5.264 273.77
 (L) Duane Shields (Shortline Express Market A/F 0.064      5.380 268.97

Shields and Whiteley have each won 1 times against the other in prior events and this is the first time they have faced each other in a final round. Whiteley with the starting line advantage and never trailed to collect his second National event win this year and his 15th career win.

 W/L  Driver                                     R-Time    E-Time  Speed
 
 (W) Jay Payne (FireIce Mustang)                 0.065      5.631 260.06
 (L) Steve Gasparrelli (Gasparrelli Racing Monte 0.053      5.652 259.26

Gasparrelli is 10 - 7 against Payne in prior events and each has won 1 time against the other in final rounds. Gasparrelli has 10 wins and won this event in 2002. Payne has 40 wins in 71 final round appearances.

Gasparrelli had a small advantage at the green and led past the 330-foot marker, but Payne was in the lead at half track and stayed there the rest of the way. Jay Payne's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.003), 330 ft(-0.002), 660ft(0.002), 1,000ft(0.005). MOV: 0.0093 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

 W/L  Driver               Class   Dial    RT        ET   Ov/Un
 
 (W) Doug Baumgardner        SS/DA  9.45  0.012     9.468  0.018
 (L) Gary Emmons             SS/IA  9.98  0.053    10.005  0.025

Doug Baumgardner's MOV: 0.0483 seconds (approximately 9 feet). He gets his first National event win.

 W/L  Driver               Class   Dial    RT        ET   Ov/Un
 
 (W) Hagen Gary               A/SA 10.11  0.027    10.132  0.022
 (L) Britt Cummings           C/SA 10.56  0.092    10.503 -0.057

Both drivers have "Wallys" on their mantles - Gary is 2-0 in Stock final rounds, Cummings is 1-1 in Super Comp final rounds. He is also in the Super Comp final here, wants this win to get a leg up on the elusive "double."

So much for the "Double." Cummings was late, Gary was on time, and Cummings broke out to take the stripe.

 W/L  Driver               Class  Index    RT        ET   Ov/Un
 
 (W) Britt Cummings            S/C  8.90  0.023     8.920  0.020
 (L) Shannon Brinkley          S/C  8.90  0.015     8.898 -0.002

Cummings was hoping to come to this round with a shot at a "double," but those hopes were dashed about ten minutes ago. Looks like the team got the broken rocker fixed, but we won't really know until the light turns green.

It's fixed, but Brinkley ended up beating himself. He had Cummings covered on the tree, took two thousandths too much stripe Ithat's about an inch at those speeds). Cumming misses the double, but a single Wally is a great consolation proze.

 W/L  Driver               Class  Index    RT        ET   Ov/Un
 
 (W) Luke Bogacki              S/G  9.90  0.017     9.918  0.018
 (L) Jeff Lopez                S/G  9.90  0.023     9.878 -0.022

Both drivers have national event wins, Lopez winning the SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose last year, Bogacki with two national event "Wallys" in two final rounds.

Bogacki's final round record remains perfect, now he's 3-0. He had a small edge at the green, Lopez broke out taking the stripe.

 W/L  Driver               Class   Dial    RT        ET   Ov/Un
 
 (W) Rob McKinley              T/D  6.30  0.008     6.303  0.003
 (L) Todd Schumert             T/D  6.62  0.064     6.654  0.034

McKinley with a great light and then a great package for the win. This is his first NAtional event win. Rob McKinley's package: 0.011.