Pomona: Dave Grubnic final report

Dave Grubnic, Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster -- No. 7 qualifier, advanced to round one

Dave Grubnic and the Kalitta Motorsports team turned away in Pomona

POMONA, Calif., (Feb. 11, 2008) -- Yesterday at the season-opening event of the 2008 POWERade Drag Racing Series, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.), Dave Grubnic, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, was denied a chance to win the famed event with a first-round loss.

Grubnic, a native of Australia, qualified his Top Fueler in the top-half of the 16-car final eliminations field in the No. 7 (4.530 seconds, 318.62 mph) slot for Sunday. In round one, Grubnic took on No. 10 qualifier Rod Fuller. Early in his lap down the track, Grubnic's dragster began suffering traction problems and that allowed Fuller to get the upset win, 5.420 sec., 212.49 mph to 4.494 sec., 326.24 mph.

-credit: km