NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 30.13 inches, adjusted altitude 835 feet, track temperature 97 degrees. Shawn Reed is 0 - 3 in Rd. 1 this year. Antron Brown is 397 - 146 in Rd. 1 races. Brown is 4 - 1 against Reed in prior events. Brown with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Reed with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

Clay Millican's 38 losses to Tony are the most losses for him against any driver. Tony Schumacher starts the day with 900 round wins. Schumacher is 38 - 18 against Millican in prior events. Schumacher with a great light, but is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Millican with a good clean pass until on the top end when it slowed.

Tony Stewart is 30 - 13 in Rd. 1 races. In Rd. 1 Justin Ashley "leaves first" 82% of the time. Stewart is 5 - 4 against Ashley in prior events. Ashley with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He started to haze the tires and had a flash of flames on the top end, but gets the win. Stewart is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

This (#4) equals the best starting spot for Maddi Gordon. Will Smith set a career best 3.748 in Charlotte. This is the first time Smith and Gordon have faced each other in eliminations. Smith with the starting line advantage, but started to drop cylinders early and then the banged the blower on the top end. Gordon launched hard and kept it hooked up to make her career quickest and fastest pass for the win. She will have lane choice over Ashley in the nest round.

Doug Kalitta set Top Speed in Charlotte. He is the 3rd TF driver with 80 or more Top Speeds. Kalitta on the bye and is straight down the groove with a great pass.

Shawn Langdon is 10 - 2 in Rd. 1 when qualified #2. Cameron Ferre is making his 49th start. Langdon is 2 - 0 against Ferre in prior events. Ferre with the starting line advantage, but was dropping cylinders right at the hit and clicked it off. Langdon started to lose traction and pedaled it for the win. He will give up lane choice to Brown in the next round.

This (#3) is the best starting spot for Billy Torrence in his last 24 starts. The #14 TF qualifier has won 4 times in Rd. 1 at this event. This is the first time Mercier and Torrence have faced each other in eliminations. Mercier with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Torrence is straight down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over Millican in the next round.

Leah Pruett is #8 and the #8 TF qualifier is 22 - 18 in Rd.1 at this event. Josh Hart is 4 - 1 against Pruett in Rd. 1 Hart is 5 - 2 against Pruett in prior events. Hart with the starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Pruett started to haze the tires and pedaled it for the win. She will give up lane choice to Kalitta in the next round.