Fri, 30 May 2003, 07:29 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Sixth annual Lucas Oil NHRA Route 66 Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Tim Cullinan Runs 4.924/282.95, Now #1

Current weather conditions: 71 degrees, 49 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.56 inches, with a track temperature of 87 degrees.

Cullinan with his first pass on NHRA tour this year and it was on a good one until about 1200 feet and he might of pitched the blower belt off.

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Left Lane: Don Reed Runs 13.280/78.61, Now #3
Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 5.277/202.73, Now #2

Reed was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Novelli got out of the groove and real close to the centerline before he clicked it off

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Left Lane: Chris Karamesines No Time, Now #6
Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.633/320.89, Now #1

Karamesines rolled through the water and then didn't strike the tires on the burnout. His team rolled him back and shut him off. Bernstein with a nice pass to straight down the groove.

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Left Lane: Scott Weis Runs 9.212/91.84, Now #5
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.663/318.99, Now #2

Weis lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off. Grubnic was able to get it from A to B with no wasted motion, very nice looking pass for him.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.830/296.37, Now #4
Right Lane: Paul Romine Runs 4.719/310.48, Now #3

Romine was able to keep the engine together for 1320 feet and a nice looking pass. Troxel with a little puff of smoke on the top end.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.688/313.51, Now #4
Right Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 4.631/315.19, Now #1

Hartman Motorsports have hired Lance Larsen as a team consultant for two races. Hartman-Smith with one of her better passes in awhile, straight down Broadway for the number one spot for now. Head while only running part time this year is still having his best year ever on the NHRA tour.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.600/317.27, Now #1
Right Lane: John Smith Runs 4.710/310.41, Now #6

This will be the first pass with Alan Johnson tuning the Schumacher's car and what a way to start. Straight and clean hitting on all eight all the way down the quarter mile. Smith got a little loose around half track, but reeled it back in.

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Left Lane: David Baca Runs 4.616/321.27, Now #2
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan No Time, Now #16

Cory Mac got out of the groove and keep drifting and finally collected the top end cones DQ'ing his pass. Baca with a great looking pass to take the number two spot.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 6.591/188.83, Now #13
Right Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 4.645/310.05, Now #5

Herbert was up in smoke right off the starting line and shut it off. Russell hitting on all eight and the Goodyears stuck to take the number five spot.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.520/329.26, Now #1
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.575/325.53, Now #2

The two quickest Top Fuelers finish up this round and what a drag race. Just as it was billed. Dixon with the quickest 60-foot time of the session with a 0.845 seconds. And Kalitta with the quickest E.T. for the number one spot. Scott Weis rounds out the top 16.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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