Thu, 11 Feb 2010, 08:52 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Andy Carter Runs 10.485/72.63, Now #2
Right Lane: Thomas Nataas Runs 3.880/306.33, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.01 inches, adjusted altitude 1,811 feet, track temperature 74 degrees.

Carter was up in smoke right off the starting line. Nataas launched hard and was straight down the groove with a nice pass to start the weekend. Thomas Nataas' incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.089/268.22 mph.

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Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 8.674/80.00, Now #2

McMillen launched with the front end in the air and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.954/258.52, Now #2
Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 3.997/308.00, Now #3

Grubnic has the engine go away on the top end...clicked it off. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.187, 660ft-3.118/273.50 mph. Karamesines with a real nice pass to start the weekend...Chris Karamesines' incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.274, 660ft-3.211/270.37 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 6.124/105.23, Now #4
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 7.688/85.52, Now #5

Strasburg lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle...Torrence started to smoke the tires early in the run and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 11.936/75.25, Now #9
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.950/286.01, Now #2

Chrisman is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Buff launched and make nice pass...Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.180, 660ft-3.122/264.18 mph. Apparently he was leaking fluids as the Safety Safari is rolling.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.847/309.98, Now #1
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.254/265.95, Now #6

Kalitta clicked it off early...Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.326, 660ft-3.372/242.19 mph. Langdon with great looking pass to go to the number one spot...

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 8.580/59.18, Now #9
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 9.402/76.45, Now #11

Lucas lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle and then banged the burst panel and the chutes deployed. Bernstein was up in smoke early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.809/320.05, Now #1
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 8.361/76.03, Now #10

Brown is off the throttle before he went past the Christmas tree. McClenathan launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.157, 660ft-3.055/282.66 mph. This is the fourth fastest speed in the 1000-foot era.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 7.439/112.87, Now #10
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.056/206.99, Now #7

Dixon is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle and pedals it once and can't get it to hook up. Schumacher was on a real good pass until about half track when banged. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.131, 660ft-3.049/265.06 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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