Fri, Mar 19, 01:54 PM GAINESVILLE - Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the 30th annual NHRA Mac Tools Gatornationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Left Lane: Allen Hartley Runs 6.637/120.50 Psn # 2
Right Lane: Steve Smith Runs 4.681/314.90 Psn # 1

12:50 PM and the beat goes on... still not a cloud in sight, still hot and sunny. Hartley was on a good pass until the rear tires started smoking at the 400' mark, then he wisely stepped off the gas. Steve Smith does a nice job, right out of the box.

---

Left Lane: Paul Smith Runs 5.387/229.43 Psn # 3
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.633/298.80 Psn # 1

Smith's machine looked more like a jet dragster this time, something lighting off on the engine, just off the line, and he trailed a big flame for the full quarter-mile. Looks like not all the fluid burned, as the Safety Safari trucks are rolling down to the top end, and spreading oildry starting at the 1000' mark in Smith's (left) lane.

---

Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.789/278.35 Psn # 3
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 9.458/ 74.84 Psn # 6

Dixon was up in smoke early, while Kalitta gets a decent baseline pass.

---

Left Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.701/307.51 Psn # 3
Right Lane: Joe Amato Runs 5.402/168.94 Psn # 6

These two were side-by-side for the first couple hundred feet, with Amato actually ahead, then he stepped off the throttle and Kenny motored ahead with a decent out-of-the-box effort.

---

Left Lane: Mike Dunn Runs 4.624/315.64 Psn # 1
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 10.642/ 80.22 Psn #10

Schumacher was up in smoke early, but Dunn was hooked up all the way, the Mopar machine taking the early lead.

---

Left Lane: Randy Parks Runs 15.042/ 65.14 Psn #12
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.612/314.46 Psn # 1

Vandergriff moves to the head of the class, after not qualifying at Phoenix. The team spent some time testing after that event, and it looks like it paid off. Apparently what they found wrong was a simple change... isn't that always the case??

---

Left Lane: Connie Kalitta Runs 4.694/308.99 Psn # 5
Right Lane: Bruce Sarver Runs 4.744/305.01 Psn # 7

Looked like normal runs for both cars; judging from the numbers, it looks like the crew chiefs were a little conservative with the clutch setups, both cars pretty soft off the line.

---

Left Lane: Eddie Hill Runs 4.577/314.97 Psn # 1
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.775/121.18 Psn # 9

It's all tire smoke for the Winston car, while the senior citizen of the bunch shows he can still keep up with the kids.

---

Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.721/289.76 Psn # 8
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 9.807/ 84.03 Psn #16

Grubnic found the same spot that Scelzi found, his tire smoke starting at the same point -- about 75' off the starting line. The smoke obscured Head on the top end, so we couldn't tell why he was slow at the finish.

---

Left Lane: Paul Romine Runs 4.697/307.02 Psn # 8
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.630/309.42 Psn # 4

What a difference a week makes -- Romine couldn't do anything right last weekend in Darlington, but here today he lays down a nice run right out of the box. And Cory Mac's MBNA dragster is even better, sliding right into the show ahead of Herbert, Smith, and Kalitta. The bump spot is now Allen Hartley's 6.637... and that's the last pair.




NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Apr 09- POMONA 1 - Thursday Schedule
Apr 08- Hood Scoops Set to Return to NHRA Pro Stock Category in 2027
Apr 07- PowerEdge Returns as Presenting Sponsor of DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway
Apr 07- GESi Pro Stock No. 1 Qualifier Award Returns for 2026 Season
Apr 06- POMONA 1 - Funny Car Preview
Apr 02- Revchem Composites Plays Critical Role in Ron Capps Motorsports' Continued Success
Apr 01- Second Wave of NHRA 75th Anniversary Commemorative Tickets Include Wealth of Legends
Mar 30- CHARLOTTE - Event Preview
Mar 30- BELLE ROSE - Super Gas Round 5 Eliminations
Mar 30- BELLE ROSE - HEMI Chootout Round 3 Eliminations