Fri, 19 Sep 2008, 09:38 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall 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: Tim Boychuk Runs 4.086/285.59, Now #17; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.902/307.23, Now #6; No Prior Run

Neither one of these guys ran earlier today, and Massey is making his NHRA debut in Top Fuel. He is leading the IHRA points. Massey with a great looking pass to start his NHRA Top Fuel career, he gets into the top half of the show. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.181, 660ft-3.114/271.41 mph. Boychuk with a clean pass to start the weekend. Tim Boychuk's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.265, 660ft-3.246/256.26 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 3.931/295.92, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.359/188.60, Was #18
Right Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 3.903/299.93, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.030/275.73, Was #16

Hartley was driving that car on the top end as it got over close to the centerline, but he stayed with it to get in the show. Joe Hartley's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.108/274.22 mph. Herbert was on a good pass until around 900 feet when the engine starting eating itself up. Apparently Herbert lost an engine because there is oil in his lane.

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 3.849/314.97, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.969/289.20, Was #17
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.912/145.19, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.946/306.95, Was #13

Grubnic's engine went silent around half track and he coasted on through the 1000 feet. Will launched hard and had the header flames shooting high into the air all the way through the 1000 feet. she goes to the number one spot with a great pass...Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.080/278.12 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.968/309.06, Now #17; Best prior run: 3.961/303.57, Was #17
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.842/315.19, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.912/308.07, Was #11

Kalitta has a quick pedal job right off the starting line and drives it on through the 1000 feet, but doesn't improve. He will go into Saturday not qualified. Bernstein with a great pass and he goes to the number one spot with the quickest and fastest pass of the weekend. That is the ninth fastest pass of the the 1000-foot era. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.074/278.40 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.997/243.24, Now #16; Best prior run: 3.950/301.20, Was #16
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.861/312.64, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.910/299.93, Was #10

Lucas was off and on the throttle a couple time on the top end, and he will not improve. Vandergriff with his career best E.T. and mph in the 1000-foot era. He goes to the number three spot...Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.088/276.41 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 5.141/133.90, Now #15; Best prior run: 3.949/302.89, Was #15
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.820/310.70, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.902/307.23, Was #8

Millican lost traction right off the starting line. Dixon launched hard and keep it hooked up to run his quickest pass in the 1000-foot era. He goes to the number one spot...Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.143, 660ft-3.046/278.63 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.874/307.72, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.941/305.36, Was #13
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 4.936/155.31, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.897/309.06, Was #8

Todd with a good clean pass to get into the top half of the show...J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.163, 660ft-3.092/275.00 mph. It appeared Brown pushed out a head gasket with a quick flash of flames around 400 feet.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.866/313.00, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.912/308.14, Was #12
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 6.545/89.09, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.896/308.50, Was #8

Fuller lost traction by 150 feet and clicked it off. McClenathan with a good, clean pass to get of the bump and into the top half of the show. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.089/273.50 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 7.268/80.13, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.880/310.98, Was #8
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.874/303.37, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.879/306.26, Was #7

Schumacher was up in smoke right off the starting line and he clicked it off. Torrence repeats from this afternoon, improving just a few ticks, but stays number seven. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.084/276.46 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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