Sun, 5 Sep 2010, 03:10 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #4

By David Gerard

CLERMONT, Ind. - Notes from round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil 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: Bruce Litton Runs 5.600/118.04, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 4.615/201.58, Now #13; No Prior Run

1:47 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.15 inches, adjusted altitude 2,381 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

Novelli finally gets on the qualifying sheet with a full pass.

Litton has problems right after the 330 lights and slows.

Luigi Novelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.306, 660ft-3.453/203.37 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.334/212.90, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.011/285.29, Now #13; No Prior Run

Haddock starts to drop cylinders off the line. There is a flash from the engine and that sails the blower belt up in the air and over the wall.

Buff has engine issues near the light and doesn't improve on his prior passes.

Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.318, 660ft-3.322/245.54 mph.
Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.200, 660ft-3.174/254.52 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 6.377/94.91, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.888/311.92, Was #11
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.924/311.85, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.914/292.96, Was #12

Lucas was shut off with an oil leak last night and missed a pass in those great conditions. The tires are up in smoke right at the 330 lights and he slows.

Langdon has another clean pass. He runs near his prior best with a much better MPH.

Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.898 sec., 330ft-2.230, 660ft-3.152/276.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 9.227/75.54, Now #17; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 4.655/160.79, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.808/319.22, Was #5

Bruce Litton is on the bump spot at 5.600.

Brown smokes the tire again, this time near the 660 mark.

Dakin gets the tires loose and won't get into the field in this session.

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Left Lane: T.J. Zizzo Runs 4.628/165.84, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.851/311.56, Was #10
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 6.032/107.61, Now #17; No Prior Run

Zizzo gets away first and stays out there, but strikes the tire after mid-track.

McMillen has too much power for the set up and smokes the tires around the 330 mark.

No joy here...

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 6.938/82.32, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.823/314.97, Was #6
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 9.440/77.39, Now #19; No Prior Run

Zero for two for these two. Vandergriff smokes the tires again right off the line and Grubnic right after him.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.808/151.80, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.824/319.52, Was #7
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 3.874/314.53, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.840/318.17, Was #9

Two good back to back passes for Fuller, running close to his prior best.

Kalitta joins the cars smoking the tires in the left lane.

Rod Fuller's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.102/272.12 mph.

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Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 5.436/123.23, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.830/306.05, Was #8

Torrence gets to near the 660 mark and smokes the tires.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.913/145.08, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.802/317.87, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 6.154/105.81, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.790/324.83, Was #3

Two more broken passes. Smoking the tires after the 330 lights.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.864/313.15, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.784/323.66, Was #2
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.884/313.73, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.776/324.36, Was #1

These two went to school on the other teams struggles and lay down a great side by side pass to wrap up the session. This would have been a terrific final!

Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.091/275.39 mph.
Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.190, 660ft-3.116/275.79 mph.

2:16 p.m. Bruce Litton is on the bump spot at 5.600.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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