Sat, 6 Oct 2007, 01:30 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dan Bennett

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual Torco Racing Fuels 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: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.645/316.08, Now #8; Best prior run: 17.507/30.81, Was #17
Right Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.601/308.50, Now #5; No Prior Run

Both these teams will breathe a bit easier as they click off clean runs taking them deep into the qualified order.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.633/323.58, Now #9; Best prior run: 10.721/80.02, Was #18
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.603/317.64, Now #6; Best prior run: 10.173/87.27, Was #17

Not a thing to be said about either pass. The engines pulled down and worked hard, the cars went straight, and both were pulling hard across the finish line.

Mel runs big speed but ZGrubnice got there first.

Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.210, 660ft-3.158/268.12mph, 1,000ft-3.948
David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.176, 660ft-3.117/266.90mph, 1,000ft-3.910

Morgan Lucas is on the bump spot at 9.019.

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Left Lane: Bobby Lagana Jr. Runs 4.920/267.00, Now #15; Best prior run: 9.702/76.77, Was #18
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.634/314.83, Now #10; Best prior run: 7.587/97.13, Was #15

Did losing a session affect the race so far? Well, Tony Schumacher isn't qualified at this point for one thing.

Millican steps up, as does Lagana for now. Lagana was obviously much less aggressive which is the unfortunate way of life for a talented but underfunded team.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.574/320.43, Now #3; Best prior run: 9.639/79.31, Was #18
Right Lane: Terry Mcmillen Runs 4.732/259.36, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.775/123.05, Was #16

Schumacher doesn't stay unqualified for long. His pass in the fifties gets him into the third position while McMillen lays down a good run in the other lane.

Rod Fuller is now on the bump spot at 4.858.

They're doing a quick sweep of the top end in the right lane.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 5.398/176.03, Now #18; Best prior run: 9.019/102.22, Was #18
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.591/321.50, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.858/317.05, Was #16

Whatever McMillen left on the top end, it wasn't slick as all that was needed was a pass by the sweeper. He doesn't get charged with an oildown.

Lucas' car never really was able to gain rpm as it labored down the track. He's finally off the throttle at 900 feet.

Fuller dips into the fifties and goes high into the top half.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 7.490/98.25, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.802/321.96, Was #16
Right Lane: Doug Foley Runs 4.605/316.30, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.697/264.49, Was #14

Cory strikes the tires right at the eighth mile and lifts. Foley goes right down the center of the lane and just misses the top half.

Cory McClenathan stays on the bump spot at 4.802.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 7.278/110.51, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.629/318.24, Was #11
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.577/311.49, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.592/317.64, Was #5

Kalitta hits the tires a bit before Cory did.

Todd makes a slick pass in the other lane with no signs of tirespin or sounds of engine distress. He's racking up some consistent runs so far this weekend.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.591/306.05, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.606/316.01, Was #10
Right Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.603/320.74, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.574/321.42, Was #2

Nice side by side race.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.616/299.26, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.600/313.80, Was #7
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.592/318.17, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.549/321.58, Was #1

As the last pair does their burnouts, I count six cars in the fifties. Dixon would like to join them.

He doesn't get there on this pair. His car started moving from side to side at 1000 feet or so, and he crosses the finish line trailing a big cloud of smoke.

Bernstein shows off his Richards tuneup by laying down another stout number.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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