Sat, 22 Feb 2014, 16:49 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA 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: Troy Buff Runs 4.086/210.90, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.989/282.01, Was #10
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 4.165/249.49, Now #13; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.66 inches, adjusted altitude 2,854 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Buff was on a planned early shut off as they are tracking down an electrical gremlin. Palmer started mixing up cylinders early and then the engine lets go. The word from the top end is there is oil and this one will cost Palmer five points. He still makes his quickest pass of the weekend to get a number on the board and into the show.

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.821/313.88, Now #8; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.839/321.27, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.091/216.86, Was #11

Massey after struggling yesterday makes and real nice pass, straight down the groove to get into the top half of the show. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.830 sec., 330ft-2.145, 660ft-3.057/279.44 mph. Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number nine spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.085/281.07 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.763/323.27, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.845/281.07, Was #10
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.836/316.67, Now #10; No Prior Run

Langdon launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number three spot. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.827 sec., 330ft-2.131, 660ft-3.021/286.74 mph. Crampton with real nice pass, his quickest of the weekend to get in the show. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.076/280.14 mph.

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Left Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 7.930/67.15, Now #16; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.792/320.20, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.810/318.54, Was #7

alBalooshi is up in smoke right at the hit and still gets in the show as there are only 16 Top Fuelers on the property. Pritchett launched hard and keep it hooked up to run her career quickest pass to go to the number six spot. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.143, 660ft-3.041/283.07 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 5.121/134.87, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.160/225.75, Was #14
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 6.155/98.28, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.777/320.28, Was #5

McMillen is up in smoke early and clicks it off. Grubnic starts to lose traction right at the hit and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.925/295.79, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.847/313.15, Was #12
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff No Time, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.772/322.58, Was #4

Millican was mixing up cylinders all the way down the track. Vandergriff banged the blower right at the hit and chutes came out.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.828/321.19, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.814/317.19, Was #8
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.784/324.59, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.758/321.96, Was #2

Force with another good looking pass, straight down the groove. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.155, 660ft-3.071/279.38 mph. Torrence launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight to run the second quickest pass of the round. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.829 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.037/282.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.815/319.67, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.793/316.75, Was #7
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 5.851/112.91, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.735/327.74, Was #1

Brown with a good looking pass, the fourth quickest of the session. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.161, 660ft-3.058/281.71 mph. Kalitta was up in smoke by 300 feet and clicked it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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