Seattle: Dave Grubnic final report

Dave Grubnic, Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, No. 16 qualifier -- defeated in round one Dave Grubnic and the Zantrex-3 team shake out at Seattle KENT, Wash., (July 22, 2007) -- During the opening round of final eliminations Sunday at the Schuck's ...

Dave Grubnic, Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, No. 16 qualifier -- defeated in round one

Dave Grubnic and the Zantrex-3 team shake out at Seattle

KENT, Wash., (July 22, 2007) -- During the opening round of final eliminations Sunday at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., just outside of the Seattle city limits, Dave Grubnic got a case of the shakes, tire shakes that is, in his race against J.R. Todd.

Grubnic, driver of the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster and the No. 16 qualifier, faced Todd, the No. 1 qualifier, after rain delayed the start of eliminations by 50 minutes. Soon after the two 8,000-horsepower racing machines left the starting line, Grubnic's black and electric blue-flamed Zantrex-3 rail ride began shaking its big rear tires causing a loss of traction. Todd was then able to take the win, 11.484 seconds, 81.64 mph to 4.546 sec., 323.58 mph.

"It shook me pretty hard in there," Grubnic, a 44-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. "I thought for an instant that we had smoked the tires, but that obviously wasn't the case.

"We're still in eighth in points, so we're still holding our heads up. My Zantex-3 team is the best, and I'm sure we'll rebound in Sonoma (next event)."

This season the NHRA instituted the new Countdown to the Championship points system. Only the top eight in POWERade points after the first 17 national events will be allowed to vie for the season championship. This weekend's event was the 14th of the season.