Sat, 3 Nov 2001, 08:01 PM GOODGUYS-6 - Nostalgia Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Darryl Jackman

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Nostalgia Top Fuel at the Goodguys Fuel and Gas Finals 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: Gerry Steiner Runs 6.454/168.91, Now #10; Best prior run: 9.759/87.56, Was #18
Right Lane: Jim Murphy Runs 10.473/67.79, Now #19; No Prior Run

3:03 PM The final round of Top Fuel qualifying is on the pad. Now or never. Do or....oh you get it! I'm not certain if this one will count for Steiner. At the finish he was loose and it appeared that a cone went flying. The qualifying sheet will tell the tale. Murphy came very close to blowing over a front engined Top Fueler. The front end started climbing at the hit and didn't appear ready to come down until Murphy lifted.

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Left Lane: John Edmunds Runs 8.078/138.14, Now #20; Best prior run: 11.840/86.15, Was #20
Right Lane: Tim Gibson Runs 6.870/154.21, Now #16; Best prior run: 14.030/58.18, Was #21

Neither of these drivers made the field on their first run of the day. The Goodguys run two, eight car fields so these drivers need to step it up in the final round of qualifying. Not real good runs. Both cars were soft and Gibson's racer drifted towards the railing.

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Left Lane: Bill Dunlap Runs 6.210/208.91, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.155/226.75, Was #6
Right Lane: Mark Malde Runs 6.216/231.42, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.653/151.10, Was #14

Dunlap comes in qualified for the 'A' but Malde is near the bottom of the 'B' event. Both will be looking to improve. No help for Dunlap but Malde bumps into the 'A' field.

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Left Lane: Rich Howell Runs 6.268/232.73, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.383/231.06, Was #10
Right Lane: Lee Jennings Jr. Runs 7.666/179.28, Now #17; Best prior run: 7.171/163.81, Was #17

Jennings is outside of both fields. Howell is #2 in the 'B' field. Jennings smokes the tires and his weekend is done. Howell just misses the 'A' field by .004 seconds.

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Left Lane: Kent Terry Runs 6.442/223.10, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.570/221.29, Was #13
Right Lane: John Shoemaker Runs 8.882/89.51, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.740/185.64, Was #15

Terry moves up by two spots but remains in then 'B' field. Shoemaker appeared to have a clutch malfunction as there was lots of dust and no movement.

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Left Lane: Jim Boyd No Time, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.551/124.87, Was #18
Right Lane: Kirk Kuhns Runs 6.512/219.19, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.596/228.89, Was #14

Neither of these two made runs that the cars are capable of in round one. Kuhns is in the 'B' field but Boyd needs a full pass. No joy. Boyd falls silent very early and gets no time. Kuhns picks up almost a tenth but only picks up one spot in the field.

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Left Lane: Rance McDaniel Runs 6.154/217.18, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.059/236.53, Was #2
Right Lane: Bob Muravez Runs 6.254/216.24, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.324/207.13, Was #10

Muravez has slipped from the 'A' field to the 'B' main in this session. McDaniel will look to take over the top spot in the Chevy powered digger. Muravez is now top qualifier in the second field. McDaniel slowed a tenth and twenty mph from the first round.

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Left Lane: Rick McGee Runs 6.044/223.71, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.047/222.33, Was #1
Right Lane: Lee Jennings Runs 16.460/45.16, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.076/234.65, Was #3

Jennings remains the top qualifier after back to back 6.04's. Jennings smokes the tires and will have to rest on his earlier 6.07.

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Left Lane: Dale Pulde Runs 7.063/120.09, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.148/229.53, Was #5
Right Lane: Jack Harris Runs 6.149/232.43, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.104/243.24, Was #4

Pulde had a car length lead until about 900 feet when the chute came out. Don't know if that was planned or otherwise. Harris also failed to improve.

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Left Lane: Glenn Hutchison Runs 6.233/223.99, Now #8; Best prior run: 8.000/116.61, Was #19

Hutchison makes the field in a last ditch effort. He got a bit close to the rail but legged it out the back end.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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