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Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3
Sat, 26 Jul 2003, 04:07 PM
Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 16th 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:
Left Lane: Brady Kalivoda Runs 6.590/125.39, Now #10; No Prior Run
12:15 p.m. Technically, this is round three of qualifying, but only Gordie Bonin went down the track in
round two. Kalivoda makes it through the burnout okay, unlike last night. He started smoking the tires and then
pitched the blower belt about 400 feet out. He gets in though.
Left Lane: Don Sosenka Runs 5.231/272.83, Now #7; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Ron Smith Runs 8.403/102.02, Now #14; No Prior Run
The bump is less than stellar 13.51. Neither driver has made a run yet. Smith is from nearby Renton, and
this will probably be his only national event appearance of the season.
Smith started smoking the tires just
past the 330-foot mark. Sosenka kept it lit all the way, but it was laboring.
Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 6.744/130.47, Now #12; Best prior run: 13.511/65.78, Was #18
Another tire-smoker. This time just before 330.
Left Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 7.002/111.04, Now #14; Best prior run: 8.649/93.23, Was #17
Right Lane: John Smith Runs 4.905/281.13, Now #4; Best prior run: 10.566/89.59, Was #18
Russell is the defending event champ. The bump is Mike Strasburg at 8.50. Russell smoked 'em and clicked
it. Smith smoked 'em and pedaled it and made a decent pass.
Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.874/287.84, Now #4; Best prior run: 7.733/96.27, Was #16
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 6.878/117.20, Now #15; Best prior run: 8.504/90.69, Was #18
Strasburg smoked the tires at 330, just like almost everyone else. Sarge was hazing the slicks from
half-track on.
Left Lane: Gordie Bonin Runs 5.828/158.52, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.135/115.25, Was #17
Right Lane: Paul Romine Runs 8.146/107.73, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.075/138.43, Was #11
Like last night, Bonin leaves stuff on the track. Romine smoked the tires and shut off.
12:32
p.m.
Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 5.000/281.83, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.359/130.67, Was #13
Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.790/294.63, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.811/153.21, Was #10
12:52 p.m. Bernstein was hazing the tires from half-track on. At least they both got to the finish line
under power.
Left Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 5.097/244.87, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.918/239.40, Was #9
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 6.460/135.37, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.915/273.22, Was #8
Another pair of tire-smokers. Cory Mac shut it off, while Rhonda pedaled it a couple of times and then we
heard a bang in the lights.
Left Lane: Scott Weis Runs 8.761/93.41, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.912/239.53, Was #7
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 5.498/172.14, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.796/302.35, Was #4
If they're not smoking the tires at 330, they're hazing 'em from half-track on. Just brutal conditions
out there. Weis smokes 'em early, Baca later, and no help for either driver.
Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 5.516/169.47, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.692/312.57, Was #1
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.710/304.87, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.768/301.47, Was #2
Last pair of the round. The bump is a 6.87, and that wouldn't even qualify for Pro Stock. Somehow,
Kalitta did not smoke the tires. Dixon did and shut off about 900 feet out. Kalitta with the best run of the
session.
1:05 p.m.
Timing data courtesy of
CompuLink
By Jonathan Adams
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