NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Low qualifier Robert Hight showed no signs of relenting in round one, bettering his pole-sitting 3.867 with a 3.862 on a solo pass after opponent Jeff Diehl had engine problems after firing, exacerbating problems that the independent team had during their pre-race pit-area warmup.

Reigning world champ J.R. Todd, who was upset in round one in Pomona, appeared ready to face a similar fate after he lost traction early in his DHL Toyota but expertly gathered it in and chased down Terry Haddock at the stripe for a narrow win.

Tommy Johnson had the round’s unforgettable highlight, as his Make-A-Wish Dodge exploded the blower, shattering the body and losing the left rear tire, but he still got the win light when opponent Jim Campbell was disqualified for clipping the finish line lights.

Second-round matchups (lane choice first): Robert Hight vs. John Force; J.R. Todd vs. Tommy Johnson Jr.; Shawn Langdon vs. Matt Hagan; Jack Beckman vs. Bob Tasca III