Memphis: Herbert fights mechanical problems

MEMPHIS, Oct. 8, 2000 - Considering the way the 2000 NHRA season has gone for Doug Herbert and his Snap-on Racing Top Fuel team, it's no surprise that his "Murphy's Law" year continued at Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday.

Herbert, who had qualified for the first 19 races, did not make the top 16 for the AutoZone Nationals. He had always made at least one good run during the weekends, but an assortment of mechanical miseries prevented him from running better than 5.577 seconds.

"I don't know . . . we just didn't get it figured out," said a very disappointed Herbert. "We had a problem on every run - smoking the tires on the first one, a bad mag(neto) on the second one, a fuel valve that didn't work in the third one and then we kicked the rods out (of the motor) on our final run.

"(Crew chief) Larry Frazier and the team will be back in the shop (after two weeks on the road for back-to-back races) and we'll be looking at everything before heading for Dallas (Oct. 20-22) and Houston (Oct. 27-29). I'm depressed right now, but I'll get over that soon. We'll be ready for Dallas."

Herbert remained in ninth place with 807 points, 36 behind Bob Vandergriff Jr.

Only the Auto Club Finals, Nov. 10-12 at Pomona, Calif., remains after the Houston race.

Did not qualify