Seattle: Doug Herbert final report

HERBERT ADVANCES TO SECOND ROUND

Seattle (July 22, 2007) A fitting beginning to a rain plagued weekend, final eliminations at the 20th Annual Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals got underway just before noon, after a slight delay caused by persistent rain showers throughout the morning.

After qualifying his Snap-on Tools Top Fuel dragster in the No. 6 position, Herbert spent the soggy morning preparing to face Cory McClenathan in the opening round of eliminations.

First off the line with an excellent reaction time (.063 of a second), Herbert drove the Snap-on Tools dragster down the quarter-mile with a quick 4.57 second pass at 320 mph, while McClenathan's dragster smoked the tires off the starting line. McClenathan pedaled the car and tried to regain traction, but Herbert and the Snap-on Tools dragster had already sailed through the lights, taking the win and moving on to the second round.

Lined up against Rod Fuller for round number two, Herbert once again had a starting line advantage (.046 of a second to Fuller's .073). This time, however, the Snap-on Tools dragster succumbed to tire smoke. Fuller took the win with a 4.58 second pass.

"We had the race car running good," said Herbert, "and ran strong in the one qualifying pass we had and in the first round.

"Some kind of clutch gremlin got in there and caused us to smoke the tires. We will find it, get rid of it and be ready to go rounds in Sonoma."

-credit: dhr