Fri, 10 Nov 2017, 19:46 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 53rd annual Auto Club 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: Terry McMillen Runs 13.662/64.84, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.862/100.55, Was #15
Right Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 4.337/193.38, Now #8; Best prior run: 11.638/68.19, Was #18

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 28.84 inches, adjusted altitude 2,650 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

McMillen is up in smoke right at the hit, and clicks it off.

Reed was on a good pass and then engine went silent just past half track. He still gets into the top half of the show.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.719/289.26, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.560/93.54, Was #13
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.748/316.23, Now #4; Best prior run: 10.621/77.67, Was #18

Torrence launched hard and was on a good pass until the engine goes silent on the top end. He goes to the number two spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.823 sec., 330ft-2.099, 660ft-2.956/295.27 mph.

Crampton with a good looking pass until the engine let go on the top end, but still goes to the number four spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.002/292.39 mph.

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Left Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 4.508/260.91, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.874/156.55, Was #12
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 7.333/89.35, Now #18; Best prior run: 9.296/88.82, Was #18

Salinas loses traction early and clicks it off.

Langdon is up in smoke right off the starting line and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.755/326.71, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.278/191.78, Was #9
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 4.357/183.00, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.755/99.31, Was #16

Kalitta was straight down the groove with a great looking pass to go to the number five spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.019/288.89 mph.

Palmer was on a good pass, but then his engine went silent around the 1/8 mile mark.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 3.941/297.61, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.969/292.14, Was #9
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.667/330.31, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.619/92.86, Was #16

Alexander is straight down the groove with a real nice pass. Blake Alexander's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.191, 660ft-3.137/266.64 mph.

Force launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot. She sets the track E.T. record. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.829 sec., 330ft-2.087, 660ft-2.942/295.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 3.892/304.67, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.874/307.51, Was #9
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.696/326.00, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.302/105.99, Was #16

Haddock with a good pass, but will not improve. Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.183, 660ft-3.106/272.83 mph.

Brown kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number two spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.103, 660ft-2.962/292.01 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.785/320.43, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.830/293.98, Was #9
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 6.119/117.35, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.987/111.74, Was #16

Buff was straight down the groove until right in the lights when the car got real loose, but he stays with it to get into the top half of the show. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.835 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.033/283.19 mph.

Schumacher with tire shake right at the hit and he pedals it, but can't get it to hook up and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.671/328.22, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.729/327.27, Was #5
Right Lane: Steve Faria Runs 4.096/232.71, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.789/154.35, Was #15

Millican launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number two spot. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.818 sec., 330ft-2.077, 660ft-2.938/291.32 mph.

Faria makes a big move in the right direction to move up the ladder three spots.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 7.775/85.31, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.712/326.32, Was #4
Right Lane: Wayne Newby Runs 3.785/324.59, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.819/322.96, Was #9

Pritchett is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

Newby kept it hitting on all eight and ties Buff's E.T., but gets the spot based on his faster speed to move into the top half of the show. Wayne Newby's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.167, 660ft-3.047/288.46 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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