Fri, 28 Jul 2006, 08:05 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

SONOMA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 8.952/92.69, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 30.09 inches,adjusted altitude 1,409 feet, track temperature 122 degrees.

Chrisman is up in smoke by 100 feet and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 9.482/94.39, Now #3
Right Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 4.736/312.78, Now #1

Strasburg is up in smoke right off the starting line and lifts. Bradshaw with a real nice pass to start the weekend, straight down the groove hitting on all eight. Alan Bradshaw's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.239, 660ft-3.208/260.46mph, 1,000ft-4.026

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 6.831/117.01, Now #3
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 6.530/124.86, Now #2

They both make it to about the 330-foot mark before they blister the Goodyears.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.709/305.84, Now #1
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 6.381/140.90, Now #3

Baca is up in smoke by the 330-fot mark, and he clicks it off. Herbert was straight down the groove and now has a good pass to start the weekend. Doug Herbert's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.213, 660ft-3.179/262.18mph, 1,000ft-3.994

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 10.804/80.57, Now #8
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan No Time, Now #10

Cory Mac did the burnout and at the end of the burnout had problems . He couldn't make it back to the starting line and shuts it off. He gets over the wall while Will makes her run. Will launched and the car really labored off the line and she lifted.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.826/287.11, Now #4
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.733/319.60, Now #2

both cars kept it hitting on all eight and the Goodyears stuck all the way down the 1320 for some a couple nice passes. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.881 sec., 330ft-2.259, 660ft-3.245/255.92mph, 1,000ft-4.078
Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.225, 660ft-3.211/256.16mph, 1,000ft-4.032

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Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 9.732/75.36, Now #11
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.766/308.71, Now #4

Fuller lost traction early in the run and clicked it off. Grubnic with a nice pass until about 1000 feet when he started hazing the tires. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.190/253.61mph, 1,000ft-4.040

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.543/328.94, Now #1
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.814/309.06, Now #6

Schumacher launched with front wheels in the air and set them down gently and blasted on through the quarter mile for a great pass. He goes to then number one spot by 0.166 seconds. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.152, 660ft-3.086/270.05mph, 1,000ft-3.869 Bernstein with a nice pass to go to the number six spot. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.898 sec., 330ft-2.283, 660ft-3.267/255.77mph, 1,000ft-4.095

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.640/322.65, Now #2
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 8.570/99.78, Now #12

Kalitta is up in smoke early and clicks it off. Troxel launched hard and keep it hooked up all the way down the quarter mile for the number two spot behind her teammate. Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.198, 660ft-3.151/264.96mph, 1,000ft-3.951

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink