NHRA Notebook: Gibson DQ’d by new rule

Monday, April 10, 2000 | 9:19 a.m.

Top Fuel driver Tim Gibson became the first victim of the National Hot Rod Association's new 90-precent fuel rule when his stunning first-round victory over Tony Schumacher was disallowed following a post-race inspection Sunday.

NHRA officials ruled that Gibson's fuel mixture contained too much nitromethane and disqualified the Irvine, Calif., resident after he easily beat Schumacher with a 4.774-second pass at 306.33 mph. Schumacher posted a 5.087-second, 254.09-mph run.

The disqualification was the first of its kind since the inception this season of the 90-percent rule, which mandates that the nitromethane/methanol fuel in Top Fuel and Funny Cars consist of no more than 90 percent nitromethane.

"We've checked our hydrometer against the NHRA's at every event and we've never had a problem," Gibson said. "We showed 87 percent in the pits. When we got out to the staging lanes, they tested us and said we were hot so we dumped in a bunch of methanol. I guess it wasn't enough because we tested at 90.4 at the other end.

"It's sure not the reason we won that race. This is very disappointing for us, very disappointing."

Despite losing to Gibson, Schumacher was allowed to advance to the second round, where he lost to eventual Top Fuel winner Kenny Bernstein.

Schumacher said he did not believe Gibson's crew was trying to pull a fast one.

"They beat us, it's that simple," Schumacher said. "I know they weren't trying to cheat. The NHRA is very meticulous about how they check the fuel. I guess they were over the limit."

* TOUGH DAY: Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Pro Stock was the only points leader to make it past the second round of eliminations Sunday.

Coughlin went on to win his category and retained his lead in the point standings.

Funny Car points leader Jerry Toliver was upset in the first round by Dean Skuza but remained atop the point standings in his category.

Top Fuel leader Tony Schumacher was ousted in the second round, as were Pro Stock Motorcycle leader David Schultz and Pro Stock Truck leader Greg Stanfield.

Schumacher remained in the lead in the Top Fuel standings; Bob Panella took over the lead from Stanfield in Pro Stock Truck; and Tony Mullen unseated Schultz in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

* ONE MORE?: Speedway Motorsports Inc., chairman Bruton Smith, who owns Las Vegas Motor Speedway, reiterated Sunday that he was working with NHRA officials to bring a second NHRA date to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next year.

Next year's NHRA date at LVMS will move to late October, but officials from SummitRacing.com wish to keep their affiliation with the race in the spring.

* WHO'S COUNTING?: Although it is the policy of Speedway Motorsports not to release attendance figures for their events, the total four-day attendance for the inaugural SummitRacing.com Nationals was estimated to be 74,000 -- with approximately 30,000 attending Sunday's final eliminations.