Surprise winners as three out of four final rounds completed at Maple Grove

Khalid al Balooshi got his first final round win in Top Fuel, beating Antron Brown on Monday. (Todd Dziadosz photos)

Persistent rain showers on Sunday afternoon forced NHRA officials to postpone the completion of eliminations until Monday at 11 a.m. when again track temperatures were in the mid 50’s and skies threatened rain. Three classes got to the final rounds but the Pro Stock Motorcycle final was left to run when rain cut off the racing once more. The NHRA has decided to run the PSM final between Harley riders Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec at Las Vegas in three weeks.

Khalid al Balooshi, Mike Neff and V Gaines were the winners at Maple Grove. We’ll have a complete race report tomorrow. [10/8/2012]

DSR’s Beckman and Brown set track and national records

Antron Brown posted a national record time of 3.722 seconds.  (Richard Muir photo)

The only things Antron Brown and Jack Beckman didn't do over the past four days at Maple Grove Raceway were win national event titles. While short-range goals weren't achieved, each moved closer to long-range goals of winning NHRA world championships. And each received a boost when they earned 20-bonus points for establishing NHRA national elapsed time records.

Beckman on his Friday night run.  (Todd Dziadosz photo)

Jack Beckman’s team won its second consecutive No. 1 qualifying position Saturday and continued a remarkable streak of qualifying in the top-three for the eighth consecutive Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

It was the team's fourth pole of the season, but this time the team led by crew chief Todd Smith and assistant Terry Snyder, took their performance to a new level.

Beckman set pending national records for elapsed time (3.989 seconds) and speed (320.58 mph), and followed up on Saturday with runs of 4.001 and 4.011.

"It was stunning," Beckman said. On Monday, Beckman was eliminated in the semifinal round. [10/8/2012]