Sat, 22 Feb 2014, 18:59 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA 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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Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.787/313.80, Now #6; Best prior run: 7.930/67.15, Was #16

Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.63 inches, adjusted altitude 2,895 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

alBalooshi launched hard and keep it hooked up to from the number 16 spot to the top half of the show. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.831 sec., 330ft-2.133, 660ft-3.030/284.21 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.757/325.14, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.839/321.27, Was #12
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 18.504/31.84, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.160/225.75, Was #15

Schumacher with a great looking drag race and he make his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number two spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.830 sec., 330ft-2.126, 660ft-3.015/286.25 mph. McMillen was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 4.129/232.63, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.836/316.67, Was #12
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 6.975/80.35, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.989/282.01, Was #14

Crampton started to lose traction and he pedaled it and then just past half track the engine went silent. Buff was dropping a lot of cylinders early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.785/317.94, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.792/320.20, Was #8
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.022/235.27, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.847/313.15, Was #13

Pritchett with another great pass and one more time she runs her career quickest pass to move up to the number seven spot. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.826 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.032/285.29 mph. Millican was on a good pass and then the engine went silent and he will start from the number 13 spot.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 5.186/130.32, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.777/320.28, Was #6
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 7.883/77.27, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.821/313.88, Was #11

Grubnic is up in smoke by 300 feet and clicks it off. Massey is is up in smoke right at the hit.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.559/164.35, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.772/322.58, Was #5
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.813/321.04, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.814/317.19, Was #10

Vandergriff started to haze the tires around 400 feet and he clicked it off. Force with another consistent pass. The fourth quickest pass of the round. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.157, 660ft-3.063/283.07 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.793/322.81, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.758/321.96, Was #3
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.768/323.27, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.793/316.75, Was #9

This was a great drag race...Torrence with another great pass and he had the header flames shooting high over the rear wing. He will not improve, but still a good pass. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.825 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.043/282.60 mph. Brown launched hard and he keep it hooked up to go to the number five spot with the second quickest pass of the round. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.136, 660ft-3.023/285.23 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 5.408/127.62, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.735/327.74, Was #1
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 6.468/103.40, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.763/323.27, Was #4

Kalitta was up in smoke around 300 feet and Langdon was up in smoke early in the run and clicked it off.

Kalitta will hold on to the number one spot for the second time this season and the 38th time in his career.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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