Sat, 16 Mar 2013, 15:44 PM Pro Stock Motorcycle Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Michael L. Jex

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 44th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals listing lane, rider 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: James Surber Runs 7.008/192.06, Now #20; Best prior run: 7.048/190.59, Was #20

Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 34 percent, barometer 29.88 inches, adjusted altitude 1,669 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.

Track temp are the highest they have been so far this weekend - The bump is currently a 6.919, held by Katie Sullivan. Surber's run is his quickest of the weekend, but it's not enough to get into the program. It was a new career best speed for the Californian, just nine thousandths slower than his career best ET.

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Left Lane: Joe DeSantis Runs 7.002/191.21, Now #19; Best prior run: 7.005/189.04, Was #19
Right Lane: Redell Harris Runs 8.565/108.12, Now #22; Best prior run: 7.178/187.31, Was #22

Harris sat up early, the reason not clear from here - Both will be spectators tomorrow...

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Left Lane: Angie Smith Runs 6.925/193.18, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.918/188.86, Was #15
Right Lane: Freddie Camarena Runs 7.047/191.08, Now #21; Best prior run: 7.160/191.24, Was #21

Smith had to lean to the right on this run. Camarena's weekend racing is over - but the Amerimonte Records party with Danny Garcia will get underway this weekend in the Pro Stock Bike pit area.

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Left Lane: Chip Ellis Runs 6.921/192.66, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.910/191.00, Was #14
Right Lane: Jim Underdahl Runs 6.906/195.31, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.951/191.65, Was #18

Underdahl bumps out Sullivan, now Angie Smith's 6.918 is on the 16th bump spot.

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Left Lane: Michael Phillips Runs 6.952/193.05, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.910/195.48, Was #14
Right Lane: Eddie Krawiec Runs 6.882/194.04, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.938/192.80, Was #18

Krawiec bumps his way safely into the race - now Chip Ellis's 6.910 is the mark to beat. Eddie Krawiec's incremental times: 60ft-1.065 sec., 330ft-2.861, 660ft-4.389/159.83 mph, 1,000ft-5.729.

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Left Lane: LE Tonglet Runs 6.905/194.69, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.903/194.55, Was #13
Right Lane: Katie Sullivan Runs 6.965/192.11, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.919/191.62, Was #18

Katie is the last one that can bump out Chip Ellis....

Instead she slows by .05 and will not be racing tomorrow.

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Left Lane: Adam Arana Runs 6.924/194.55, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.900/194.16, Was #12
Right Lane: Shawn Gann No Time, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.898/193.60, Was #11

Gann elected to pass on this round to save wear and tear on parts and materials...

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Left Lane: Scotty Pollacheck No Time, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.855/192.30, Was #7
Right Lane: Michael Ray Runs 6.921/194.41, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.868/195.08, Was #9

Word comes that this is the quickest field ever in Pro Stock bike...

Pollacheck drifted left, and left, and then took out the finish line cones. He hit one of them with his left foot. At 140 mph or so, that didn't feel very good...

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Left Lane: John Hall Runs 6.840/195.51, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.842/193.24, Was #6
Right Lane: Mike Berry Runs 6.844/195.42, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.860/195.17, Was #8

Side-by-side 6.84's. Nice.

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Left Lane: Andrew Hines Runs 6.878/194.04, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.836/194.66, Was #5
Right Lane: Hector Arana Jr Runs 6.805/197.36, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.806/196.24, Was #3

Nice lap by Arana given the warmer conditions - Hector Arana Jr's incremental times: 60ft-1.057 sec., 330ft-2.836, 660ft-4.346/162.25 mph, 1,000ft-5.670.

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Left Lane: Hector Arana Runs 6.807/196.62, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.805/196.39, Was #3
Right Lane: Matt Smith Runs 6.837/196.99, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.804/197.28, Was #1

That's it for PSB Qualifying - the quickest Pro Stock Bike field in NHRA history, led by Matt Smith's 6.804, who claims his 19th #1 qualifying result, the field is finished by #16 Chip Ellis's 6.910. 3:51 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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