Sat, 15 Sep 2007, 02:46 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil 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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Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 6.078/157.21, Now #17; Best prior run: 11.294/98.31, Was #17

Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 21 percent, barometer 29.96 inches, adjusted altitude 1,857 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Novelli started to smoke the tires around 330 feet and he tried to drive through it with no luck. He apparently pitched the blower belt off on the top end. This is only his second pass this weekend and improve, but will not get into the show.

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.648/307.58, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.694/318.24, Was #14
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.589/317.12, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.710/308.07, Was #15

Vandergriff with real nice pass to get into the top half of the show...Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.183, 660ft-3.106/273.88mph, 1,000ft-3.893 Will with her best pass, but still gets bumped back one spot.

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Left Lane: Doug Foley Runs 5.535/162.76, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.925/213.16, Was #16
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.583/321.81, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.608/317.34, Was #12

Foley had a quick flash of flames and bang right at half track and then coasted through the 1320. Fuller with his best pass this weekend to move into the top half of the show.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 5.113/194.30, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.624/318.17, Was #14
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 8.844/81.57, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.608/322.42, Was #11

Kalitta started to lose traction earl and clicked it off. Grubnic was on a pretty good pass until the engine went silent when it pitched the blower belt.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.614/305.84, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.595/312.06, Was #10
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.583/322.81, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.592/323.89, Was #9

It appeared like Todd was on another good looking pass until right before the finish line when it starts to slow. Troxel with a real nice pass to get into the top half of the show. Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.179, 660ft-3.111/272.23mph, 1,000ft-3.898

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.620/319.67, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.612/326.16, Was #13
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.582/320.28, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.590/323.66, Was #9

A good clean pass for Millican, but doesn't improve. Lucas with a nice pass to get into the top half of the show. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.099/271.24mph, 1,000ft-3.890

It appears 4.58's are cheap today.

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Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.568/297.61, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.608/320.13, Was #12
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 11.163/70.98, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.585/321.42, Was #8

Bazemore with a great looking pass earl on and then started to slow and Bazemore clicked it off early but still goes to the number three spot. Whit Bazemore's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.156, 660ft-3.074/275.62mph, 1,000ft-3.856

Cory Mac was chattering the tires right off the starting line and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 5.861/144.23, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.573/327.35, Was #5
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 6.427/142.37, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.569/313.44, Was #4

Herbert is up in smoke by 200 feet while Bernstein loses traction around 400 feet.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.622/307.72, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.568/318.77, Was #2
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.642/316.67, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.565/325.45, Was #1

No help here for either driver while they both had a good clean passes. These two stay number one and two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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