Sat, 17 Sep 2005, 12:57 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

MOHNTON, Pa. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 21st annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.554/323.58, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.625/315.86, Was #10

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 65 percent, barometer 29.83 inches, adjusted altitude 1,313 feet, track temperature 105 degrees.

Kalitta with his best pass of the weekend, he launched hard and was able to get it to hook all the way through the 1320. Kalitta goes into the top half of the field. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.098/272.50mph, 1,000ft-3.876

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Left Lane: Scott Weis Runs 12.871/64.82, Now #17; Best prior run: 8.271/104.72, Was #17
Right Lane: John Smith Runs 4.616/319.45, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.093/155.15, Was #16

Weis started to lose traction right off the starting line and clicked it off. Smith was on a good pass until around half track and then it started mixing up cylinders and was shooting a lot of flames out of the left bank. He crossed the finish line with a big puff of smoke. Smith got off the bubble with this pass. John Smith's incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.209, 660ft-3.142/271.84mph, 1,000ft-3.927

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.560/325.30, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.648/313.95, Was #12
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 10.015/80.32, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.611/325.53, Was #10

Bernstein loses traction around 150 feet off the starting line. Grubnic just like Doug launched hard and was able to keep it hooked up all the way through the 1320. Grubnic gets into the top half of the field. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.169, 660ft-3.098/271.68mph, 1,000ft-3.880

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Left Lane: Doug Foley Runs 4.632/318.69, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.704/282.95, Was #15
Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 5.791/159.34, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.953/237.96, Was #16

Foley was straight down Broadway with this pass. Novelli started mixing up cylinders around half track and then the car's rear slicks started bouncing when he was on and off the throttle a couple times.

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Left Lane: T.J. Zizzo Runs 10.950/80.42, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.688/282.24, Was #15
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.932/210.60, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.610/325.92, Was #10

Zizzo is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle and he clicks it off. Troxel got out of the groove just past half track and then got real loose before she lifted and coasted on through the 1320.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.595/319.52, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.653/290.19, Was #14
Right Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 9.398/76.17, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.585/326.16, Was #9

Millican with a nice looking pass to move up the ladder four spots. Kalitta blistered the Goodyears around 200 feet and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: David Baca Runs 4.606/311.99, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.568/324.44, Was #8
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.609/309.13, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.541/318.92, Was #3

Baca is on good looking pass until right before the finish line when the engine let go with a big puff of smoke. Herbert with a nice pass, but does not improve on yesterday's time.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.553/319.14, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.568/327.27, Was #7
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 9.490/92.10, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.538/323.43, Was #2

Dixon is up in smoke by 150 feet and clicked it off. Cory Mac with a great looking pass with the quickest pass of the session. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.071/271.90mph, 1,000ft-3.860

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.554/322.04, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.542/325.06, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.584/318.47, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.477/323.35, Was #1

This was a great drag race to wrap up this Top Fuel session. Both cars straight down the groove.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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