Atlanta Doug Herbert Finals Report

COMMERCE, Ga. - Just about the time Doug Herbert was getting ready to cross the Atlanta Dragway finish line Sunday, his Snap-on Top Fuel dragster made a quick move left, toward the centerline. At the same time, Mike Dunn's dragster zipped past him. The result was a disappointing first-round setback and, while Herbert didn't lose a place in the standings, he did drop farther behind Dunn in NHRA Winston Series standings. "Yeah, it stinks," Herbert said. "The engine dropped a cylinder and that pushed the car out of the groove and it slowed down. I thought I had him until that happened. He came by me at about 1,000 feet (down the track) and the car just seemed to quit running." Herbert left the starting line first, .472 to .561, but the dropped cylinders slowed the elapsed time to 4.821 seconds at 299.06 mph to Dunn's 4.691 at 291.76. It was the first time the two had met since Dunn won in the Gatornationals final round in March. "I made a change in the clutch, and I probably shouldn't have," commented crew chief Dick LaHaie. LaHaie tuned the car to consistent qualifying runs on tricky Atlanta Dragway asphalt. Herbert's best was 4.671 seconds, leaving him No. 7 in the 16-car field. Other notable runs were 4.684 and 4.738 seconds. Herbert has 430 points and is tied with Cory McClenathan for fourth place behind Dunn (547), Tony Schumacher (459) and Larry Dixon (455). "There is one good thing," Herbert concluded. "At least we don't have to wait long to get back on the track." That's because the Mopar Nationals begin Friday at Englishtown, N.J. Qualified: No. 7, 4.671 seconds at 309.06 mph First round: Dunn def. Herbert Pro Winners: Top Fuel, Gary Scelzi; Funny Car, John Force; Pro Stock, Warren Johnson