Sat, 09 Nov 2013, 19:51 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals 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: Steven Chrisman Runs 7.683/87.18, Now #18; Best prior run: 8.794/91.70, Was #18
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.821/323.81, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.324/191.48, Was #17

4:14 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,922 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

Todd Paton is on the bump spot at 4.017.

Schumacher's run of 246 consecutive Sunday starts is in jeopardy He does what he can and lays down a safe and strong pass into the field in the number thirteen spot. Not out of the woods yet!

Chrisman sticks the tires at the hit again.

Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.169, 660ft-3.071/281.01 mph.

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Left Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.908/257.33, Now #16; Best prior run: 3.903/305.42, Was #16
Right Lane: Todd Paton Runs 4.445/190.62, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.017/290.63, Was #17

Billy Torrence is on the bump spot at 3.903.

Two solid leaves, but both cars will not improve.

Torrance has big numbers down low, but is coasting the last 200 feet or so.

Paton is done before the 330 lights and blows another engine. He pulls over to the wall after the finish line and stops on the track.

Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.062/277.49 mph.
Todd Paton's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.255, 660ft-3.302/224.02 mph.

4:19 p.m. Lots of clean up in the right lane

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.304/188.33, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.815/322.42, Was #12
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.836/320.13, Now #15; Best prior run: 3.835/321.65, Was #15

Weird colored flames from Vandergriff's engine right off the line. The car is quick to just about the 660 foot mark and slows.

Great looking pass for Torrance. He misses his best by just 0.001!

Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.145/218.58 mph.
Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.176, 660ft-3.082/281.36 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.761/324.98, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.800/323.19, Was #8
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.875/303.50, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.825/310.70, Was #14

Buff's has a good leave and then starts to mix up the cylinders on the top end. He slows just a little.

Millican flies off the line and thunders down the track to jump all the way up to the new #2 position. Great looking pass with a big MPH. Nice!

Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.132, 660ft-3.016/285.95 mph.
Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.082/269.89 mph.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.783/318.92, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.792/321.88, Was #7
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 5.300/129.97, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.814/324.28, Was #11

Another strong pass in the left lane. Grubnic power to the finish line and up two spots on the ladder to the number five spot.

McMillen had a good sixty foot number, but the engine started to struggle. The tires are up in smoke after that.

David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.136, 660ft-3.031/283.31 mph.
Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.217, 660ft-3.620/151.32 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.762/326.08, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.790/324.28, Was #7
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.748/325.37, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.812/319.60, Was #10

If nothing changes this is a first round pairing tomorrow.

OR NOT! Bernstein runs a season best to jump to the top of the ladder on a straight and true pass.

Kalitta is strong too and powers three spots up to #4 right behind him.

Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.136, 660ft-3.022/286.07 mph.
Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.115, 660ft-3.004/284.09 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.784/323.74, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.787/323.19, Was #8
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 7.144/77.88, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.806/323.43, Was #10

Force has already had a career best weekend and moves her best ET again on a strong pass with a great speed. Nice, but she doesn't improve her position.

alBalooshi is quicker to the 60 foot lights, but too strong for the track after that. The tires start to smoke and he is down!

Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.039/284.75 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 6.041/111.56, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.782/320.20, Was #6
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 7.750/78.04, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.799/317.64, Was #9

No joy here, as both cars are up in smoke before the 330 lights.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.869/145.96, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.750/327.03, Was #2
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 6.083/107.70, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.775/322.42, Was #5

These two started the session at the top of the ladder and have been pushed back. Both cars smoke the tires, but Langdon's qualifying position wins him the 2013 Top Fuel Championship!

4:44 p.m. Billy Torrence is on the bump spot at 3.903.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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