Sun, 28 Jan 2007, 03:10 PM Top Fuel Time Trial Notes, Session #7

By Darryl Jackman

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 7 time trials in Top Fuel at the NHRA, National Time Trials 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 Foley Runs 4.750/302.62, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.715/245.63, Was #10
Right Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 12.788/77.84, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.826/150.36, Was #15

Foley makes his best hit of the weekend but the motor appeared to still be a bit unhappy by the finish line. Bradshaw struck the tires early in Bill Miller's racer.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.485/329.99, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.527/328.30, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.966/201.85, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.442/326.08, Was #1

Kalitta moves way up on the charts with by far his best of the weekend. Schumacher had a hole out before half track and was off the pedal vary early.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.473/331.45, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.514/333.16, Was #3
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 10.686/85.74, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.606/268.38, Was #7

Cory Mac steps right up and just misses his career best ET, which is 4.463. Vandergriff shook and shut off early.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.706/297.75, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.663/269.19, Was #9
Right Lane: Hillary Will Runs 12.269/79.76, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.530/325.92, Was #5

Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.195, 660ft-3.155/262.18mph, 1,000ft-3.975. Dixon's engine wasn't happy and he stepped off a bit early as well. Will shook and pedaled to no avail.

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Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.544/326.24, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.629/267.11, Was #8

Well. Not official of course but I believe that gives Bazemore his crossover license. Certainly makes the two runs quicker than 5.20 part and the speeds pretty well covered also. Whit Bazemore's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.084/275.51mph, 1,000ft-3.862.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 7.831/90.63, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.206/189.26, Was #14
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 10.571/76.01, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.146/188.49, Was #13

Both off the pedal very early.

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Left Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 4.944/221.16, Now #11; Best prior run: 9.736/86.76, Was #17
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 6.335/134.59, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.033/196.93, Was #12

Hartley puts the big red car in the 4s but you can see from the speed it was ugly. Lucas is still hunting for a good pass.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 6.356/131.97, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.667/121.09, Was #16
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 5.706/155.10, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.548/319.60, Was #6

Both fall short again.

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Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.530/326.40, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.011/202.73, Was #11

Certainly anyone that was watching could have missed the Mono Strut wing this time. The cover is on the rudder this time and it looks huge. That car went straight as a string but did push a headgasket near the finish line. Can't blame THAT on the wing.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.495/330.96, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.487/328.46, Was #4

Bernstein steps up smartly and puts good numbers in the log book. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.051/276.69mph, 1,000ft-3.821. That closes out the first session of the day in Top Fuel.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink