Fri, 19 Sep 2014, 21:21 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals 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: Terry McMillen Runs 3.885/314.02, Now #8; Best prior run: 7.671/83.75, Was #17
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.319/186.95, Now #12; Best prior run: 9.083/48.77, Was #19

7:39 p.m. McMillen had traction problems in the first round. He keeps the slicks stuck all the way through the run on this pass and moves all the way to the eighth spot for now. Force had engine problems in the first round and was out of power early. She was on a decent pass here, then problems again about 600 feet out and she slowed.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.774/320.36, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.559/94.28, Was #16
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.986/141.33, Now #17; Best prior run: 7.089/79.66, Was #18

Millican's problems continue. He gets about 400 feet out and the flames disappear, not sure why. Langdon kept the candles lit all the way through the pass and moves all the way to the top spot for now.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.761/317.87, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.879/146.42, Was #15
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.814/320.89, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.732/86.76, Was #18

Todd had problems in the first round and clicked it off early. No problems on this pass, right down the groove to set the track ET record and take the top spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.823 sec., 330ft-2.123, 660ft-3.013/285.05 mph. Massey made a clean pass this time and gets in the field in the fourth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.786/323.74, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.334/203.77, Was #16
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.830/314.17, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.914/147.55, Was #17

Torrence lost traction in the first round. He keeps the slicks stuck all the way through the run here and moves up to the third spot for now. Brown had traction problems earlier but makes a clean pass and moves up to the 12th spot.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.770/320.13, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.271/196.82, Was #16
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.930/290.26, Now #15; Best prior run: 3.893/304.12, Was #14

Vandergriff had traction problems in the first round. He goes right down the groove, header flames high and steady all the way through the run, and he moves up to the second spot for now. Buff was on a decent pass but lost power late in the run.

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Left Lane: Kebin Kinsley Runs 4.329/187.73, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.111/261.37, Was #16
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.823/317.49, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.829/314.97, Was #12

Kinsley was on a decent pass, then blows the engine about 500 feet out. Pritchett picks up a little and moves up to the tenth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.765/326.71, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.828/322.34, Was #11
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 5.777/108.07, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.829/317.57, Was #12

Kalitta makes an impressive pass, right down the groove, setting the track record for speed and moving up to the second spot for now. alBalooshi gets about 300 feet out and the header flames die, not sure why.

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Left Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.813/318.39, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.818/322.50, Was #9
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.315/189.63, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.819/324.20, Was #10

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 65 percent, barometer 29.31 inches, adjusted altitude 3,041 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Dixon gets about 600 feet out and loses a cylinder, then the flames die out. Torrence goes right down the groove and improves to the seventh spot.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 4.293/191.48, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.816/319.60, Was #9
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 6.864/94.55, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.790/322.11, Was #6

Schumacher gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Crampton was on a decent pass, then loses power about 600 feet out.

This ends qualifying for the day with J.R. Todd on top with a track record of 3.761.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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