Smax Smith

(Brad Turk photo)

Smax Smith from Ayr, OH, was the only Top Fuel driver not to make the Atlanta 16-car field. At Topeka Smith qualified No. 14 and faced Steve Torrence, but on the starting line the rpms went high and his team shut the car off. Although Smith qualified No. 13 at Epping, he was a no-show for the first round.

At Englishtown, Smith again faced Torrence, but clicked it off around half track. At Reading he went red against Langdon.

Tripp Tatum

Tatum (near lane) against Shawn Langdon (Tim Marshall photo)

Tripp Tatum, from Germantown, MD, made his Top Fuel debut at the Gatornationals and qualified in the No. 13 spot. He beat Leah Pritchett, who went up in smoke in the first round. He then lost with a 3.890/320.05 to Brittany Force’s 3.808/311.05.

At Norwalk Tatum met Tony Schumacher in the first round, making a valiant 3.887/318.09 to Schumacher’s winning 3.792/323.81. Tatum’s U.S. Nationals debut was a competitive 3.825/323.66 against Tony Schumacher’s first-round winning 3.746/327.19.

A fireball at Las Vegas 2 ended Tatum’s day in the first round. He qualified No. 14 at the Pomona Finals. In the first round he led Langdon, but could not hold it finishing with a 3.815/320.89 to Langdon’s 3.769/321.42.