Richmond: JR Todd final report

First-round Loss Disappoints Todd, SKULL Shine Team Tire Smoke Precipitates McClenathan Win RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 7, 2007 -- Unfortunately for J.R. Todd and the SKULL Shine Top Fuel team, the dreaded tire smoke arrived early on a warm, sunny Sunday ...

First-round Loss Disappoints Todd, SKULL Shine Team
Tire Smoke Precipitates McClenathan Win

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 7, 2007 -- Unfortunately for J.R. Todd and the SKULL Shine Top Fuel team, the dreaded tire smoke arrived early on a warm, sunny Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie. And it paved the way for an opening-round loss to Cory McClenathan in the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals.

"That was disappointing," said Todd. "We went out and qualified well and then we stumbled like that on race day."

He qualified fifth (4.577 seconds) to McClenathan's 12th (4.629) and had a brief advantage off the starting line -- .069-seconds to .090-seconds. But the tire smoke began and he fell back, coasting to the finish line in 8.040 seconds at 104.91 mph. Meanwhile, McClenathan lit the win light in 4.618 seconds at 314.97 mph.

"I thought we'd do well today," added Todd. "It's tough because we wanted to win this race for (team sponsor) Evan Knoll (owner of Torco Racing Fuels). We have been qualifying well and stumbling in the first round lately."

Todd will have an opportunity to run for a $100,000 payday at Las Vegas, Oct. 6. He qualified sixth for the special Technicoat Top Fuel Showdown. He accumulated 2,780 points. His first-round foe is Larry Dixon, third, 3,045 points.