Fri, 22 Feb 2013, 20:07 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual NHRA Arizona 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:

---

Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.069/223.54, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.987/78.17, Was #15
Right Lane: Leah Pruett Runs 3.812/310.63, Now #3; Best prior run: 8.200/74.50, Was #18

Force was on a good pass until just past half track when the engine goes silent and the pipes go wet. Pruett launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number three spot with her career best E.T....Leah Pruett's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.132, 660ft-3.039/276.13 mph.

---

Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.843/267.64, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.353/125.47, Was #16
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 6.108/95.90, Now #17; Best prior run: 7.790/77.69, Was #18

Strasburg goes to about 250 feet and the engine lets go with a quick fireball...and the word is there is oil in his lane. Bernstein was on a good pass until around 800 feet when the engine banged and he coasted through the finish line.

---

Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 7.353/88.48, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.618/160.37, Was #16
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 7.619/91.31, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.359/88.80, Was #18

Langdon was up in smoke right off the starting line and Lucas began to shake and lose traction right at the hit and clicked it off. They will both go into Saturday with no-time.

---

Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.818/321.88, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.077/219.19, Was #14
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 9.472/63.06, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.284/192.52, Was #15

Torrence started to lose traction early and clicked it off. Vandergriff launch hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number four spot. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.163, 660ft-3.066/282.30 mph.

---

Left Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.871/298.01, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.066/225.03, Was #13
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.765/314.83, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.007/229.90, Was #11

Brown on only his second pass on this new car and he is straight down the groove with a great looking pass to go to the number one spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.127, 660ft-3.014/284.75 mph. alBalooshi was on a good pass until the car started eating itself up on the top end, he still gets in the show. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.162, 660ft-3.081/275.51 mph.

---

Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 8.232/74.04, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.034/222.22, Was #13
Right Lane: Sidnei Frigo Runs 8.618/79.69, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.001/292.71, Was #12

Massey is up in smoke right off the starting line and clicked it off. Frigo shook right at the hit and clicked it off.

---

Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 7.073/83.48, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.872/320.51, Was #11
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 7.988/74.67, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.860/300.60, Was #8

McMillen had a lot of header flames right at the hit, but was up in smoke early and clicked it off. Millican started to shake and he clicked it off.

---

Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.818/320.58, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.871/320.74, Was #9
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.769/325.92, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.829/324.75, Was #6

Kalitta launched hard and was straight down the groove to go to the number three spot, he has the big top end speed, the fastest of the event. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.028/285.23 mph. Dixon with a real nice pass move up the ladder a couple spots. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.064/282.48 mph.

---

Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.785/321.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.783/318.62, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.772/321.81, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.768/321.96, Was #2

This was a great side-by-side drag race to wrap up day one qualifying. Neither driver improves on their times from earlier today, but it was pretty with the header flames shooting over the rear wing on both cars all the way down the track. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.830 sec., 330ft-2.134, 660ft-3.032/282.36 mph.
Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.132, 660ft-3.023/284.27 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Mar 03- Fans Can Battle NHRA Drag Racers in Sonoma for Charity
Mar 03- FEATURE- Those Were The Days- Part II
Mar 03- McMillen and His 'Instagor' Top Fuel Dragster Roar into Downtown Gainesville
Mar 02- NHRA Welcomes Sister Alabama Properties to Official Member Track Network
Mar 02- FEATURE- Those Were The Days- Top Fuel Motorcycles I
Mar 02- GAINESVILLE - Fact Sheet
Feb 28- GAINESVILLE - Ideal Scenario for Top Fuel Driver Brittany Force Means
Feb 26- GAINESVILLE - Event Preview
Feb 26- McCulloch to Join BVR Racing
Feb 25- PHOENIX - Through the Lens of Ron Lewis