Fri, 14 Jul 2006, 11:13 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

MORRISON, Colo. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 27th annual Mopar Mile-High 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: Rob Passey Runs 10.931/78.34, Now #16; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 34 percent, barometer 24.86 inches,adjusted altitude 7,306 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Passey making his first qualifying attempt this weekend and he is up in smoke by 60 feet.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 6.034/150.16, Now #11; Best prior run: 13.678/79.08, Was #17
Right Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.662/318.69, Now #1; Best prior run: 8.941/80.61, Was #15

Will with a great looking pass straight down the groove into the number one spot. Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.218, 660ft-3.170/266.58mph, 1,000ft-3.966 Cory Mac started to lose traction and was off and on the throttle three time before he lifted. He was pulling the front end each time he would get back on the throttle.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.704/311.41, Now #3; Best prior run: 7.282/110.58, Was #16
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 4.902/254.38, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.916/130.95, Was #15

Strasburg was on a good pass until about 1200 feet when the engine went silent, probably a blower belt. Vandergriff launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight all the way down the 1320. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.236, 660ft-3.186/265.17mph, 1,000ft-3.992

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.640/324.28, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.635/178.47, Was #12
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.631/319.60, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.377/136.80, Was #16

This was a great drag race side by side all the way down the 1320 with the header flames shooting way over the tall rear wings. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.220, 660ft-3.159/268.38mph, 1,000ft-3.952
Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.212, 660ft-3.150/271.41mph, 1,000ft-3.938

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 7.892/96.67, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.563/176.47, Was #13
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.854/288.15, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.235/145.86, Was #16

Palmer's car goes silent by 330 feet. Lucas was using up an engine on the top end, but still got off the bubble.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.739/305.29, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.035/291.07, Was #12
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.638/316.45, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.164/147.47, Was #16

Todd with a great pass to go to the number two spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.192, 660ft-3.139/267.37mph, 1,000ft-3.937 Herbert was on a good looking pass until right before the finish line when the car started shooting sparklers.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.643/327.82, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.922/312.13, Was #13
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 4.703/308.71, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.532/213.13, Was #14

Grubnic with a nice looking pass to go to the number three spot. Baca with a nice pass to get into the top half of the show.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.654/314.90, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.866/303.03, Was #13
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.642/321.96, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.775/309.91, Was #10

A couple real nice passes. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.209, 660ft-3.152/266.48mph, 1,000ft-3.951
Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.202, 660ft-3.154/264.55mph, 1,000ft-3.954

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 8.361/94.12, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.785/312.42, Was #12
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 8.256/87.09, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.673/316.60, Was #8

Both cars were going for here and they were both up in smoke by 250 feet. That wraps up day one of the 27th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink