Rain halts NHRA eliminations

The 23rd annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in PA. have been postponed until Monday after a light but steady rain halted the action midway through the first round of Funny Car eliminations and continued to fall for many hours thereafter. Race organizers and NHRA officials finally pulled the plug at 4:30 p.m. EDT. Action will resume at the exact same spot in the proceedings Monday morning at 10 a.m.

A few things were decided in the first round of Top Fuel. The pool of drivers fighting for the final spot in the Countdown to the Championship was pared from six racers to three, with Dave Grubnic, Doug Herbert, and Cory McClenathan still alive. All three of those men advanced to Round 2, along with points leader "Hot Rod" Fuller, J.R. Todd, Morgan Lucas, Doug Foley, and Clay Millican. In Funny Car, Ron Capps edged Kenny Bernstein, with John Force and Tim Wilkerson also advancing to the quarterfinals.