Sat, 28 Sep 2013, 14:20 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Second annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest 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 No Time, Now #21; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 4.672/158.11, Now #13; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 47 percent, barometer 29.56 inches, adjusted altitude 2,971 feet, track temperature 105 degrees.

McClenathan banged a blower as soon as he hit the throttle and the chutes came out. He stopped on the track. Dakin was up in smoke early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Tim Cullinan Runs 10.483/69.50, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 6.131/115.54, Now #14; No Prior Run

Cullinan is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off. Palmer was up in smoke by the time he went by the Christmas tree.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.034/255.15, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 4.172/208.75, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.853/319.37, Was #11

buff had a cylinder out on the left side early and then around half track it appeared to burn a head gasket and then dropped cylinders on the right side. He stay with and goes to the number 13 spot. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.214, 660ft-3.165/261.57 mph. Massey started to lose traction and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.801/325.85, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.875/309.70, Was #12
Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 10.599/85.05, Now #17; No Prior Run

Lucas launched hard and was straight down the groove to get into the top half of the show. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.057/283.25 mph. Novelli was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 4.327/242.41, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 3.986/299.40, Now #13; No Prior Run

torrence started to haze the tires, but stayed with it to get a number on the board. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.314/214.35 mph. The Greek launches and is straight down the groove with the second quickest pass of the round to go to the number 13 spot. Chris Karamesines' incremental times: 60ft-0.895 sec., 330ft-2.250, 660ft-3.183/269.03 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 4.034/264.75, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 5.380/125.56, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.843/320.36, Was #11

McMillen was on a good pass until right in the lights when it started to drop cylinders and haze the tires. He stayed with it to get into the show. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.223, 660ft-3.168/268.81 mph. Vandergriff was up in smoke early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.878/320.36, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.848/319.75, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.818/323.58, Was #8

Kalitta launched hard and keep it hooked up to get in the show. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.192, 660ft-3.118/275.79 mph. That will bump Steve Torrence out of the show. Grubnic with another good pass, but he will not improve. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.173, 660ft-3.090/277.49 mph.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 6.318/105.68, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.840/318.92, Was #10
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 8.751/72.73, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.795/308.92, Was #5

Bernstein starts to smoke the tires around 330 feet and clicked it off. Force was up in smoke early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 5.206/134.85, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.839/315.34, Was #9
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.866/313.15, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.794/322.81, Was #4

Torrence was up in smoke around 300 feet and clicked it off. alBalooshi launched hard and keep it hooked up with the third quickest pass of the round. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.181, 660ft-3.095/276.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 4.241/200.77, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.796/318.24, Was #6
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 5.164/134.40, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.782/327.74, Was #2

Brown starts to smoke the tires around 300 feet and clicks it off. Schumacher is up in smoke early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.828/321.88, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.786/322.27, Was #3
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.803/322.96, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.761/326.40, Was #1

This was a great side-by-side drag race to wrap up round three of qualifying. Millican launched hard and keep it hooked up with the third quickest pass of the round. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.076/281.60 mph. Langdon keep it hitting on all eight all the way down the track with the second quickest pass of the round. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.055/281.71 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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