Sat, 11 Oct 2008, 03:46 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Third annual Virginia 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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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.873/308.00, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.971/140.47, Was #15
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.961/299.66, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.890/307.30, Was #12

Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 34 percent, barometer 30.13 inches, adjusted altitude 1,556 feet, track temperature 95 degrees.

Vandergriff with his quickest pass this weekend, and he moves into the number 11 spot. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.163, 660ft-3.092/272.61 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.845/311.77, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.883/306.53, Was #12
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.815/309.20, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.846/312.13, Was #10

Cory Mac with his quickest pass in the 1000-foot era to move into the number four spot. It was a real nice pass with a lot of engine smoke as he crossed the finish line. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.830 sec., 330ft-2.127, 660ft-3.038/275.17 mph. Todd with his quickest pas this weekend to move up the ladder one spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.827 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.072/275.28 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.837/306.26, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.823/308.57, Was #8
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 7.701/87.66, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.837/306.26, Was #10

Grubnic is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle, and clicks it off. Brown was on a nice pass until right before the finish line and the there was a lot of engine smoke and apparently he lost an engine as the Safety Safari rolls. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.055/273.22 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.905/299.53, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.815/305.56, Was #5
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.853/310.63, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.824/312.71, Was #9

Bernstein with a nice clean pass, but doesn't improve...Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.149, 660ft-3.072/272.17 mph. Kalitta with a puff of engine smoke right in the lights, but he won't improve either. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.188, 660ft-3.108/271.95 mph.

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 3.841/309.70, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.799/315.49, Was #2
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 8.460/69.52, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.823/315.56, Was #7

Fuller is out of power right off the starting line, and coast on through the 1000 feet. Will with another good looking pass...Hillary Will's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.067/277.15 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.783/312.64, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.771/317.05, Was #1
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.827/311.56, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.816/312.06, Was #6

Dixon with another nice pass...Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.149, 660ft-3.056/277.54 mph. Schumacher with a great looking pass the second quickest pass in the history of the 1000-foot era. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.827 sec., 330ft-2.118, 660ft-3.017/279.96 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink