Sat, 8 Nov 2003, 03:47 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals 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: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.554/328.94, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.559/326.40, Was #6
Right Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 4.600/323.81, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.569/314.46, Was #7

12:10 PM This session will start with the first four pairs in elimination/qualifying. See the separate Bud Shoot Out coverage for details.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.455/332.10, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.484/331.20, Was #1
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 10.181/87.29, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.601/315.19, Was #9

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.542/323.04, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.537/326.16, Was #3
Right Lane: John Smith Runs 4.994/272.61, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.703/270.75, Was #16

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.515/331.45, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.541/327.35, Was #4
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 9.588/92.80, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.633/314.68, Was #11

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Left Lane: Bill Ancona Runs 5.518/171.38, Now #23; Best prior run: 5.518/171.38, Was #23
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 11.801/78.92, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.087/209.95, Was #21

No joy here as Grubnic is up in smoke and Ancona appears to have lost the blower belt.

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Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 4.521/332.34, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.549/323.89, Was #4
Right Lane: KC Spurlock Runs 10.019/100.23, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.819/283.25, Was #19

Kalitta runs a big MPH that should be a new track record. He'll take over the current #2 spot. Spurlock is in trouble, as he has the right lane blues and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 4.657/295.08, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.644/313.37, Was #12
Right Lane: Scott Weis Runs 8.039/104.92, Now #22; Best prior run: 5.159/194.13, Was #22

Hartman-Smith slows from her prior best and Weis joins the right lane "Up in Smoke" club.

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Left Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 19.276/56.83, Now #24; Best prior run: 5.761/160.42, Was #24
Right Lane: Rit Pustari Runs 4.917/297.42, Now #20; Best prior run: 4.952/242.71, Was #20

Instant smoke in the left lane this time for Chrisman. Pustari runs better than his earlier attempts, but can't make the bump in this session.

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Left Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 10.029/90.67, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.764/301.40, Was #18
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 4.712/311.85, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.681/307.09, Was #15

Strasburg picks up on the MPH, but can't improve with his ET. Hartley smokes the tires at the hit, pedals and then lifts.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 4.775/268.12, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.706/318.32, Was #17
Right Lane: Shirley Muldowney Runs 4.628/326.32, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.645/322.73, Was #13

Some thing flies off of Palmer's car at the 330 foot mark, but doesn't seem to impact him until way down track, where he slows. Muldowney continues to improve and moves up the ladder.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.600/312.42, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.654/268.60, Was #14
Right Lane: Paul Romine Runs 7.796/94.40, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.612/318.99, Was #10

Romine is right with Millican until the 330 foot light, where he goes up in smoke. Millican just misses the top half of the ladder with another clean pass.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 6.949/116.15, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.583/326.79, Was #8
Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 6.575/122.71, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.556/324.67, Was #6

Dueling smokers with almost identical numbers down low and then a cloud! Smith is on the bump with a 4.703

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink