Fri, 21 Jul 2006, 10:51 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

KENT, Wash. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual Schuck's Auto Supply 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: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.656/324.20, Now #1; Best prior run: 9.237/96.76, Was #13
Right Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.722/315.19, Now #4; Best prior run: 10.474/78.43, Was #16

A couple good looking pass to start this session with Kalitta going to the top of the field. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.234, 660ft-3.176/267.06mph, 1,000ft-3.970 Will gets into the top half of the field. Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.250, 660ft-3.209/263.20mph, 1,000ft-4.017

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.660/316.38, Now #2; Best prior run: 9.027/93.24, Was #14
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.738/310.13, Now #6; Best prior run: 9.721/88.55, Was #16

Vandergriff with a nice pass to move into the number two spot. It appeared to start mixing up cylinders right before the finish line. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.200, 660ft-3.154/264.34mph, 1,000ft-3.960
Lucas with a good pass to get off the bubble. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.238, 660ft-3.215/260.91mph, 1,000ft-4.027

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Left Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 4.827/311.49, Now #12; Best prior run: 8.265/90.92, Was #15
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 4.791/299.20, Now #10; Best prior run: 9.287/96.62, Was #16

Strasburg straight down the groove with it hitting on all eight to move off the bubble. Bradshaw with a nice clean pass to move up the ladder a couple spots.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.714/310.63, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.775/160.50, Was #15
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 8.924/141.27, Now #16; Best prior run: 8.049/146.15, Was #16

Herbert with problems early in the run and clicked it off. Cory Mac with a good clean pass to get into the top half of the show.

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Left Lane: David Baca Runs 4.670/300.26, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.252/237.88, Was #15
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.733/302.69, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.854/282.07, Was #14

Baca with a real good looking pass until right before the finish line when the engine let go with a big fireball. He moves into the number three spot. He will used up another one of his freebies, he one more in the bank. Todd with a good clean pass to get into the top half of the show.

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Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.578/322.19, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.789/273.00, Was #12
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.869/234.41, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.815/305.70, Was #14

No help here for Grubnic as he clicks it early. Fuller with a great pass as he launched hard and keep the Goodyears planted on the way down the 1320 for the number one spot. Rod Fuller's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.114/271.73mph, 1,000ft-3.897

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.599/319.75, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.780/307.51, Was #12
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.748/318.92, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.755/319.67, Was #11

Bernstein with a real nice pass to move into the number two spot. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.114/266.42mph, 1,000ft-3.909 Troxel with her best pass of the weekend, but drops a spot on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 8.777/101.67, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.720/318.02, Was #8
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 10.314/79.16, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.694/310.48, Was #6

The final two of day one and what a pair, they have five championships between them. they both try to rotate the earth and they are both up in smoke right off the starting line.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink