Fri, 16 May 2008, 05:56 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Eighth annual O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Q listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.657/308.50, Now #1

Buff with a nice pass to start the weekend...Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.208, 660ft-3.142/267.59mph, 1,000ft-3.947

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Left Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 14.921/75.76, Now #3
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.597/328.30, Now #1

Todd running the Lucas Oil logo and his team in Lucas Oil uniforms now. Todd with a real nice pass... J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.221, 660ft-3.141/274.89mph, 1,000ft-3.921 Bradshaw was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 11.066/79.64, Now #4
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.795/312.50, Now #3

Vandergriff with violent tire shake at the hit and clicked it off. Lucas drove through tire shake...Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.313, 660ft-3.267/263.41mph, 1,000ft-4.086

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.671/291.45, Now #4
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.602/311.49, Now #2

Herbert slowed on the top end...Doug Herbert's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.233, 660ft-3.157/272.01mph, 1,000ft-3.951 Grubnic with a good clean pass to go to number two for now. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.881 sec., 330ft-2.202, 660ft-3.111/276.01mph, 1,000ft-3.897

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.600/317.94, Now #2
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.634/325.92, Now #4

Kalitta moves his teammate back one spot as he goes to the number two spot...Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.886 sec., 330ft-1.474, 660ft-3.134/277.20mph, 1,000ft-3.909 Bernstein with a nice pass and the fastest of the session...Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.887 sec., 330ft-2.216, 660ft-3.155/268.49mph, 1,000ft-3.950

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 4.604/316.23, Now #4
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.660/309.84, Now #7

The Kalitta cars all running together in the 4.60 zone...Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.881 sec., 330ft-2.230, 660ft-3.141/278.63mph, 1,000ft-3.911 It appears McClenathan's engine might of been eating itself up on the top end... was Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.193, 660ft-3.136/265.53mph, 1,000ft-3.948

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Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 5.214/185.23, Now #11
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.648/313.73, Now #6

Fuller's engine lets go in a big cloud of smoke around half track. Dixon straight down the groove...Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.235, 660ft-3.162/272.61mph, 1,000ft-3.951

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 4.732/272.89, Now #11
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.532/327.59, Now #1

Schumacher unveiled his new paint scheme and then goes out and runs low E.T. of the session. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.082/276.18mph, 1,000ft-3.857 Brown slowed on the top end...Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.189, 660ft-3.127/262.23mph, 1,000ft-3.961

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink