Sat, 29 Jul 2006, 12:11 AM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

SONOMA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite 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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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.702/325.14, Now #3; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 69 percent, barometer 30.04 inches,adjusted altitude 292 feet, track temperature 75 degrees.

cory Mac launched hard with the header flames shooting way over the rear wing and was straight down the groove to get into the top half of the show. That bumped out Will and put Fuller is on the bump spot at 9.732.

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Left Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 5.259/201.25, Now #11; Best prior run: 8.952/92.69, Was #14
Right Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.626/320.81, Now #2; Best prior run: 10.804/80.57, Was #17

Will who just got bumped out gets back into the top half of the show with a great looking pass. Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.865 sec., 330ft-2.200, 660ft-3.140/267.75mph, 1,000ft-3.934 Chrisman was on a good run and then slowed on the top end.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.665/306.12, Now #4; Best prior run: 8.570/99.78, Was #15
Right Lane: Rod Fuller No Time, Now #17; Best prior run: 9.732/75.36, Was #17

Fuller's engine went silent right off the starting line and he coasted on through the 1320. Kalitta was on real good looking pass until right before the finish line when he lost an engine with a big fireball. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.886 sec., 330ft-2.213, 660ft-3.143/268.65mph, 1,000ft-3.947 There is oil in Kalitta's lane and this is his first oil down after 92 consecutive oil free runs. Fuller will go into Saturday not qualified.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.586/321.19, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.530/124.86, Was #14
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 13.445/51.54, Now #16; Best prior run: 9.482/94.39, Was #16

Strasburg is up in smoke right off the starting line and will stay on the bubble. Todd with a great pass, straight down the groove and into the number two spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.179, 660ft-3.110/271.41mph, 1,000ft-3.898

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Left Lane: David Baca Runs 4.642/285.53, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.381/140.90, Was #14
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.607/321.12, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.831/117.01, Was #15

Baca was on a really good run until about 1100 feet when the engine went silent and he still went to the number six spot. David Baca's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.175, 660ft-3.122/264.86mph, 1,000ft-3.918 Vandergriff launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight all the way through the quarter mile to go to the number three spot. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.122/268.38mph, 1,000ft-3.914

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.557/327.74, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.814/309.06, Was #13
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.605/304.87, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.826/287.11, Was #14

Bernstein with a great pass with big header flames lighting up the night sky. He goes to the number two spot behind Schumacher. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.161, 660ft-3.095/270.54mph, 1,000ft-3.878 Lucas, too was on a really good looking pass and then right in the lights the engine let go with a big fireball. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.181, 660ft-3.113/271.19mph, 1,000ft-3.899

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.593/324.20, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.766/308.71, Was #14
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.695/298.73, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.709/305.84, Was #11

Herbert was on a good pass until right before the finish line when he banged the blower. It is still his best pass, but will stay in the number 11 spot. Grubnic with a good clean pass, straight down the groove to go to the number four spot. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.185, 660ft-3.119/269.29mph, 1,000ft-3.907

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Left Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 4.632/319.52, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.736/312.78, Was #14
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 10.638/72.97, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.640/322.65, Was #8

Troxel lost traction right off the starting line and clicked it off and coasted on through the 1320. Bradshaw with another great looking pass to get into the top half of the field.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 9.904/90.75, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.733/319.60, Was #14
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.486/326.48, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.543/328.94, Was #1

Dixon was up in smoke right off the starting line and clicked it off. Schumacher launched hard and just blasted on through with the quickest pass in the history of Infineon Raceway. That was a picture perfect pass. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.133, 660ft-3.042/276.29mph, 1,000ft-3.812 That wraps up day on with Mike Strasburg on the bump spot at 9.482.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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