Sat, 7 Jun 2008, 02:52 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 11th annual Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals 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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Right Lane: T.J. Zizzo Runs 6.161/145.64, Now #13; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 29.25 inches, adjusted altitude 3,397 feet, track temperature 109 degrees.

Zizzo is making his first pass of the year. He made it to about 330 feet and then there was bang and quick flash of flames, he coasted on through the 1320.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.574/319.52, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.748/271.08, Was #11
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.642/313.80, Now #10; No Prior Run

Kalitta with a nice pass to move into the top half of the show...Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.188, 660ft-3.105/275.22mph, 1,000ft-3.885

Grubnic was able to keep it hooked up all the way down the 1320 to get into the show...David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.879 sec., 330ft-2.214, 660ft-3.146/271.08mph, 1,000ft-3.938

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Left Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 9.850/104.43, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.631/304.74, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.673/307.09, Was #11

Novelli was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Buff with a nice looking pass to get into the show. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.865 sec., 330ft-2.189, 660ft-3.118/269.78mph, 1,000ft-3.918

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Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 6.049/226.16, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 7.972/89.95, Now #16; No Prior Run

McClenathan was up in smoke right off the starting line and was on and off the throttle at least twice and all over the track before he lifted. Fuller was up in smoke almost at the same time as McClenathan and he was on and off the throttle at least three times and he was skating all over the track. He got real close to the wall on the top end but stayed with it.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.622/318.62, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.711/293.92, Was #12
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 9.528/75.94, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.879/261.17, Was #13

Vandergriff was up in smoke real early and clicked it off. Herbert with his best pass of the weekend, and he moves up the ladder a couple spots. Doug Herbert's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.207, 660ft-3.142/269.94mph, 1,000ft-3.931

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Left Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 4.814/255.15, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.571/319.14, Was #5
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.619/305.01, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.637/317.57, Was #11

Bradshaw was dropping cylinders right off the starting line and then the engine let go with a big fireball. Lucas with his quickest pass of the weekend and he moved up the ladder... Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.127/272.50mph, 1,000ft-3.916

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 8.332/84.63, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.594/324.67, Was #7
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.625/323.04, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.616/325.30, Was #8

Will is up in smoke by 330 feet. Bernstein with another nice pass...Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.203, 660ft-3.143/269.03mph, 1,000ft-3.936

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 9.622/87.20, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.555/328.14, Was #4
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 8.635/105.08, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.525/325.61, Was #3

Both cars lose traction early and click it off.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 8.988/86.56, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.516/331.53, Was #2
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.627/316.01, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.513/331.69, Was #1

Brown lost traction early and clicked it off. Schumacher with another nice pass...Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.187, 660ft-3.120/270.37mph, 1,000ft-3.923

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink