Richmond: Dave Grubnic final report

Dave Grubnic, Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, No. 6 qualifier -- defeated in round one Dave Grubnic and the Zantrex-3 team defeated by friendly foe in Richmond RICHMOND, Va., (Oct. 7, 2007) -- At the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Virginia ...

Dave Grubnic, Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, No. 6 qualifier -- defeated in round one
Dave Grubnic and the Zantrex-3 team defeated by friendly foe in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va., (Oct. 7, 2007) -- At the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va., Dave Grubnic, driver of the Zantex-3 Top Fuel dragster, lost a very close race against a very familiar opponent in Sunday's first round of final eliminations.

Grubnic, the No. 6 qualifier, raced his against his Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta, the No. 11 qualifier, in the first round. The two friends gave the NHRA fans in Virginia a terrific side-by-side battle all the way to the finish line, but it was Kalitta that took the win light in the teammates' first match-up in 2007, 4.632 seconds, 309.06 mph to 4.599 sec., 322.50 mph.

"It's always tough racing your teammate, but you know you still have a job to do," Grubnic said. "Doug and that team are really tough, and we knew it would probably be really close. I'm glad we were able to give the fans a good show. We'll take a couple of weeks off now and then go to Las Vegas (next event) and see if we can't get a win there, and maybe get a [Technicoat Top Fuel] Shootout win, too."

By way of his No. 6 qualifying spot, Grubnic acquired a spot in the field for the special event Technicoat Top Fuel Shootout which is a lucrative race-within-a-race event in Las Vegas. The winner of the Technicoat Top Fuel Shootout earns $100,000. Entering the event in Richmond, Grubnic was not qualified in the exclusive Technicoat Top Fuel Shootout field.