STATE OF PLAY

AS WE went to press, Crampton had just exited in the first round of the NHRA Carolina Nationals, the first of six play-off races in the lead-up to the Top Fuel championship.

Things looked good initially, with Crampton qualifying eighth overall and the car getting quicker and faster with each qualifying pass, with a best of 3.744@320.5mph. But things went south on race day when the car’s tyres spun just after take-off and Crampton limped to a 7.051@97.33mph.

“I saw the other car streaking away from me and there was no point trying to get back on the gas and potentially blow something up,” he said. “I decided to save the parts and live to fight another day.”

Crampton was sitting in 10th spot in the Top Fuel rankings as we went to press, and therefore still in the running for the remaining five play-off races for the championship, which wraps up in Pomona, 10-13 November.