Sat, Oct 10, 06:21 PM MEMPHIS - Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session # 3

By Dave Rowe

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the 11th annual Pennzoil Nationals presented by AutoZone, 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: Bruce Sarver Runs 4.672/306.05 Now # 3, (Best prior run: 4.902/299.66 Was #12)
Right Lane: Mike Dunn Runs 4.673/315.34 Now # 4, (Best prior run: 4.718/297.82 Was # 8)

12:04 PM High noon and the big boys are here. Sarver carries the wheels for the first 100' on his run and makes a solid pass. Dunn moves to the #4 spot on an equally solid pass.

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Left Lane: Joe Amato Runs 4.678/311.05 Now # 1, (Best prior run: 4.619/314.97 Was # 1)
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.822/278.80 Now #11, (Best prior run: 4.751/283.31 Was #11)

Amato had the potential to run a big number here, the conditions almost perfect, but he hazed the tires about half-track.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.597/315.71 Now # 1, (Best prior run: 4.684/310.41 Was # 6)
Right Lane: Shelly Anderson Runs 9.275/ 74.98 Now #18, (Best prior run: 11.637/ 72.34 Was #20)

Dixon carries the wheels for about 100', stays in it, and makes a great run to take over the pole.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 5.983/148.59 Now # 7, (Best prior run: 4.692/319.14 Was # 7)
Right Lane: Eddie Hill Runs 11.537/ 80.16 Now # 9, (Best prior run: 4.703/304.12 Was # 9)

Hill goes up in smoke on the launch. Scelzi with a great 60' time, sacrifices an engine about 300' out.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 7.589/111.45 Now #12, (Best prior run: 4.782/297.09 Was #12)
Right Lane: Terry Mullins Runs 4.796/258.62 Now #13, (Best prior run: 5.879/154.42 Was #16)

Head pulls the front end, sets it down, and unloads the rear tires. Mullins makes an impressive run and gets off the bump, moving to #13 position.

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Left Lane: Connie Kalitta No Time Now #17, (Best prior run: 6.612/123.69 Was #17)
Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 16.654/ 59.65 Now #14, (Best prior run: 5.047/225.07 Was #14)

Kalitta, trying to get in the field here, breaks on the burnout and is pushed off the track. Novelli looking to improve, goes up in smoke on the launch.

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Left Lane: Steve Smith Runs 4.770/287.66 Now #12, (Best prior run: 10.471/ 84.11 Was #20)
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 5.281/185.82 Now # 8, (Best prior run: 4.695/307.23 Was # 8)

Smith has a new crew chief for this race, Wayne Dupuy. Smith makes a strong run, a small burst of flame as he goes through the lights. Herbert loses traction early, then drops a cylinder around half-track.

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Left Lane: Paul Romine Runs 5.561/170.30 Now #17, (Best prior run: 10.032/ 96.80 Was #20)
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 11.436/ 71.54 Now # 3, (Best prior run: 4.623/312.78 Was # 3)

This round is turning into a repeat of yesterday's first round, three oildowns already. Cory had a .854 60' time, then struck the tires. Romine was not in the field yet and was on a good run, but went up in flames at 1000', negating his chance to get in the field.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 8.976/ 88.13 Now #18, (Best prior run: 5.691/149.45 Was #18)
Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 5.034/271.57 Now #10, (Best prior run: 4.727/316.01 Was #10)

...and we're back after another long cleanup, Grubnic looking to get in the show. He won't do it this round, as he goes up in smoke at 100' out. Bernstein loses traction around half-track, stays in it, smoking the tires all the way through the lights.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 5.345/181.06 Now # 6, (Best prior run: 4.681/293.09 Was # 6)
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 6.092/163.47 Now #16, (Best prior run: 5.526/180.50 Was #16)

Kalitta, on the bump, has an .836 60' time, but smokes the Goodyears at half-track. Schumacher drops cylinders all the way down the track. This session ends with Dixon on the pole with a 4.597 and Doug Kalitta on the bump with a 5.526.




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