Fri, 12 Oct 2018, 16:46 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

CONCORD, N.C. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 11th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Lex Joon Runs 4.356/178.19, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.12 inches, adjusted altitude 2,273 feet, track temperature 113 degrees.

Joon drops a cylinder right at the hit and never gets it to clean up. The car pushes out a head gasket and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 3.992/282.66, Now #2
Right Lane: Kyle Wurtzel Runs 3.901/291.82, Now #1

Karamesines was on a real good pass until right in the lights when it banged the blower. Chris Karamesines' incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.234, 660ft-3.184/269.51 mph.

Wurtzel with a clean pass, straight down the groove. Kyle Wurtzel's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.106/272.89 mph.

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Left Lane: Audrey Worm Runs 9.535/77.65, Now #5
Right Lane: Dom Lagana Runs 4.923/143.72, Now #4

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

Lagana overpowered the track early in the run and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 3.859/312.57, Now #2
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.774/318.99, Now #1

Dakin kept it hitting on all eight and hooked up for a good looking pass. Pat Dakin's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.205, 660ft-3.100/283.73 mph.

Crampton launched hard and kept it hooked up all the way down the track to go to the number one spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.143, 660ft-3.024/286.62 mph.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 5.730/120.81, Now #8
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.841/317.19, Now #2

Palmer is up in smoke early and clicked it off.

Force is straight down the groove with a good looking pass to go to the number two spot. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.163, 660ft-3.077/277.32 mph.

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Left Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 3.769/327.35, Now #1
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.921/273.22, Now #6

Salinas launched hard kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Mike Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.144, 660ft-3.031/287.60 mph.

Kalitta with a good pass until around 1/8 mile mark when the pipes went wet.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.807/322.19, Now #3
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 4.022/239.14, Now #9

McMillen with a great pass, straight down the groove to go to the number three spot. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.168, 660ft-3.059/285.11 mph.

Brown slowed on the top end...

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.829/322.96, Now #5
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.747/330.39, Now #1

Pritchett was straight down the groove to go to the number five spot. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.175, 660ft-3.079/282.72 mph.

Schumacher launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.142, 660ft-3.016/291.82 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 6.157/98.23, Now #16
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.736/328.46, Now #1

Millican's car goes silent around the 330-foot mark.

Torrence launched hard and kept the candles lit to go to the number one spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.829 sec., 330ft-2.126, 660ft-3.004/291.38 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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