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NHRA: Team Exide suffers first opening round loss in over a year

2 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Kent, Washington- After another solid qualifying effort here at the NHRA Prolong Super Lubricants Nationals, Tony Schumacher and the Exide Batteries Top Fuel Team was eliminated from competition with a red light start in round one.

Staring from the sixth spot on the elimination ladder here at Seattle International Raceway, the reigning Winston Champion faced David Grubnic and the Montana Express dragster in the first round. As the starting line lights flashed, the Team Exide dragster moved off of the starting line eight thousands of a second to soon. This triggered the red light and subsequent foul.

"The driver lost this one," said a dejected Schumacher, "the guys had a great car for me this weekend and we didn't get the chance to show it today. It really hurts that we gave up all of the ground we made up in Denver on Gary Scelzi and Team Winston."

With Schumacher's first round loss and Scelzi's victory, Team Winston was able to put some distance on Schumacher in the Championship point's race. Scelzi now leads Schumacher by 123 points as they head into the Fram Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, California this coming weekend, Aug. 4-6.

Text provided by DAVE ENGELMAN

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