Sat, 14 Sep 2013, 17:08 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

CONCORD, N.C. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Sixth annual Carlyle Tools NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by NAPA Auto Parts 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: Chris Karamesines Runs 4.110/270.64, Now #16; Best prior run: 11.004/45.76, Was #18
Right Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 3.822/316.90, Now #11; Best prior run: 9.622/72.12, Was #17

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 29.35 inches, adjusted altitude 2,746 feet, track temperature 119 degrees.

Karamesines was laboring all the way down the track, but he gets in the show. Dakin launched hard and keep it hooked up with his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number 11 spot. Pat Dakin's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.057/284.93 mph. These two bumped out Brown and McMillen.

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Left Lane: Leah Pruett Runs 4.466/177.60, Now #15; Best prior run: 3.860/319.29, Was #15
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.885/320.36, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.822/152.66, Was #18

Pruett starts to haze the tire around 400 feet and clicked it off. McMillen got it to hook up and he got into the show. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.126/277.20 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.803/151.60, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.812/307.37, Was #9
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.893/309.77, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.464/183.52, Was #18

Force started to haze the tires and clicked it off. Brown was on a good pass and then it quit early and Brown will not get back into the show. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.189, 660ft-3.119/275.56 mph. This is only the second time in Brown's career that he has not qualified and the other time was in Top Fuel in the second Pomona race in 2008.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 5.096/134.86, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.808/322.81, Was #8
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.855/319.45, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.838/322.73, Was #14

Grubnic starts to lose traction early and clicked it off. Vandergriff with another good looking pass. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.094/278.46 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.834/319.98, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.789/324.59, Was #6
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.807/319.07, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.830/320.05, Was #13

Bernstein with another good looking pass, the quickest of the round and he moves into the top half of the show. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.145, 660ft-3.052/280.78 mph. Millican with a good pass, but will not improve and he will stay in the number six spot. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.073/277.49 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.825/321.58, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.787/327.59, Was #5
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.826/324.20, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.826/323.19, Was #13

This was a great side-by-side drag race...Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.155, 660ft-3.070/279.27 mph.
Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.077/282.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.825/323.12, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.779/325.53, Was #4
Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.832/319.14, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.822/319.67, Was #11

Another great drag race...neither improves, but good clean passes. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.073/282.13 mph.
Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.076/281.48 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.552/167.66, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.768/327.27, Was #3
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.821/320.05, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.796/320.58, Was #7

Langdon started to lose traction around half track and clicked it off. Massey launched hard and was straight down the groove. Massey with the second quickest pass of the round. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.162, 660ft-3.065/281.19 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.879/147.67, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.766/318.84, Was #2
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.803/322.81, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.749/324.51, Was #1

Schumacher starts to lose traction and clicks it off. Lucas with a great looking pass as he keep it hitting on all eight all way down the track with the quickest pass of the round. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.056/284.81 mph. Lucas qualified No.1 for the second time this season and the tenth time in his career.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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