Fri, 30 May 2008, 06:52 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Right Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 4.779/271.41, Now #1

Hartley launched hard and had it hooked up all the way down until about 1000 feet when it pitched the blower belt. Joe Hartley's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.280, 660ft-3.224/268.81mph, 1,000ft-4.019

---

Left Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 5.470/174.05, Now #3
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.889/291.01, Now #2

Bradshaw chattered the tires right off the starting line and drove through it. It then got real loose and over close to the wall before he clicked it off. Vandergriff started dropping cylinders from half track on.

---

Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 9.836/88.75, Now #5
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 8.665/115.35, Now #4

Both cars with a lot of tire shake and then smoked the tires by 150 feet and they clicked it off.

---

Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.765/292.65, Now #1
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.786/283.79, Now #3

A good side-by-side drag race for the number one and three spots...Doug Herbert's incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.258, 660ft-3.215/264.03mph, 1,000ft-4.033
David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.241, 660ft-3.190/264.65mph, 1,000ft-4.021

---

Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.647/305.22, Now #1
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.733/314.39, Now #2

Kalitta with a real pass until right in the light where it dropped a cylinder or two, he still goes to the number one spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.875 sec., 330ft-2.220, 660ft-3.150/272.67mph, 1,000ft-3.937 Bernstein was straight down Broadway...Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.243, 660ft-3.210/261.22mph, 1,000ft-4.027

---

Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.656/300.33, Now #2
Right Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.661/313.58, Now #3

This was a good side-by-side drag race with Cory Mac going to the number two spot with Will just a tick behind him. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.197, 660ft-3.132/269.78mph, 1,000ft-3.933
Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.220, 660ft-3.164/267.43mph, 1,000ft-3.960

---

Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.605/312.06, Now #1
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 5.170/210.08, Now #10

Fuller launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot...Rod Fuller's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.190, 660ft-3.113/273.22mph, 1,000ft-3.902 Dixon started to haze the tires and clicked it off.

---

Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 5.249/189.84, Now #12
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.624/317.64, Now #2

Brown strikes the tires and clicked it off. Schumacher was straight down the groove to go to the number two spot...

Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.865 sec., 330ft-2.192, 660ft-3.132/268.06mph, 1,000ft-3.929

Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 28.64 inches, adjusted altitude 4,117 feet, track temperature 114 degrees.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Feb 17- Oh, Brother!
Feb 13- NHRA and FOX Sports Announce TV Schedule for NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 12- 75th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 10- Wally Parks 75th Anniversary Appreciation Fund Part of $27 Million Overall Purse
Feb 08- NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Releases 2026 Schedule
Feb 07- Huge List of Legends Set to Appear at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 05- NHRA and Legends Global Extend Merchandise Partnership Ahead of 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 04- Doug Foley Announces Addition of Ron Douglas as Consultant to Foley Lewis Racing Top Fuel Team
Feb 04- Tickets Now on Sale for NHRA's Debut at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway
Feb 04- Reed, Zetterström to Share Driving Duties of Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel Dragster