Sat, 22 Jul 2006, 03:39 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

KENT, Wash. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals presented by Lucas Oil 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: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.662/305.84, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.694/310.48, Was #6
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.677/320.13, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.720/318.02, Was #8

Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 66 percent, barometer 29.90 inches,adjusted altitude 1,656 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

The pair that wrapped up the evening session start today's action. Schumacher was on a really good looking pass until around 800 feet and then it started dropping cylinders. Dixon with a nice pass, straight down the groove.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.703/308.64, Now #8; Best prior run: 8.049/146.15, Was #16
Right Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 15.792/78.72, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.827/311.49, Was #15

Bradshaw was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle, and coasted on through the 1320. Herbert with a good pass to get off the bubble and into the top half of the field.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.595/323.89, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.815/305.70, Was #15
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 11.639/76.63, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.714/310.63, Was #9

Grubnic launched hard and keep it hooked up all the way down the quarter mile. He goes to the number two spot. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.191, 660ft-3.125/270.16mph, 1,000ft-3.911 Cory Mac with problems right off the starting line and coasted on through the 1320.

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Right Lane: David Baca Runs 4.642/319.90, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.670/300.26, Was #7

Baca with a real nice pass, but then dropped a cylinder right as he crossed the finish line. David Baca's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.210, 660ft-3.156/267.32mph, 1,000ft-3.952

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.610/322.50, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.748/318.92, Was #14
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 8.716/100.08, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.660/316.38, Was #6

Vandergriff smoke the tires early and clicks it off. Troxel launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight all the way down the quarter mile. Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.130/266.21mph, 1,000ft-3.924

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.887/257.48, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.738/310.13, Was #14
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 8.803/97.72, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.656/324.20, Was #6

Kalitta drops a cylinder right at the hit and then is up in smoke by 150 feet. Lucas was mixing up cylinders from before half track through the finish line.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 11.564/85.67, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.733/302.69, Was #13
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.555/327.11, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.599/319.75, Was #3

Todd with problems as soon as he hit the throttle. Bernstein with a picture perfect pass, straight down the groove hitting on all eight. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.100/272.45mph, 1,000ft-3.880

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.642/314.83, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.722/315.19, Was #12
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.593/325.30, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.578/322.19, Was #2

This was a pretty good drag race to wrap up this session. Fuller with another clean pass and Will gets back into the top half of the show. From the top end interview it sounded like Will lost the blower belt.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink