Sat, 1 Nov 2008, 08:04 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Eighth annual ACDelco Las Vegas 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: Doug Herbert Runs 6.766/92.20, Now #20; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 9.341/83.98, Now #18; Best prior run: 3.998/293.03, Was #18

Weather conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 27.90 inches, adjusted altitude 4,406 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

Vandergriff was up in smoke by the time he went by the tree. Herbert lost traction by 300 feet and he clicked it off. This is the first time this year Herbert won't be around for driver introductions on Sunday morning.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.935/300.26, Now #15; Best prior run: 16.351/27.75, Was #22
Right Lane: Urs Erbacher Runs 3.953/295.46, Now #17; Best prior run: 3.972/301.00, Was #17

Erbacher makes a clean pass, but doesn't get it in the show. Buff with a good looking pass to get him into the show at the number 15 spot. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.190, 660ft-3.134/266.58 mph.

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Left Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 4.163/282.19, Now #20; Best prior run: 13.240/75.31, Was #22
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 4.055/276.52, Now #18; Best prior run: 3.961/308.28, Was #18

Chrisman used up an engine with a quick flash of flames, and he will not get into the show. Strasburg will not get into the show.

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Left Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 3.987/301.60, Now #16; Best prior run: 3.952/299.26, Was #16
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.901/307.23, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.894/309.27, Was #11

McMillen was scheduled to run next and when he saw that he was in the show he decided to pull out of line. No help here for Hartley, and he will stay in the number 16 spot. Kalitta with a good clean pass, but he will not improve.

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Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.864/313.37, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.884/312.78, Was #10

Boychuk was to run against Todd, but because he is in the show decided to pull out of line. Todd with his quickest pass of the weekend, and he moves into the top half of the show. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.095/277.43 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.916/302.21, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.895/307.86, Was #12
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.864/313.00, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.878/310.27, Was #10

Bernstein with his best pass of the weekend, and he moves into the top half of the field. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.858 sec., 330ft-2.175, 660ft-3.091/275.84 mph. Lucas with another good looking pass, but he will stay 12th...Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.875 sec., 330ft-2.215, 660ft-3.131/276.13 mph.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 6.513/92.23, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.874/308.99, Was #9
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.865/314.53, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.878/311.99, Was #10

Grubnic lost traction early and he clicked it off. Millican with his quickest pass of the weekend and he moves up the ladder one spot. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.093/274.33 mph.

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Left Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 3.816/318.39, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.863/313.44, Was #6
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.843/310.05, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.831/313.88, Was #3

Dixon with a good solid pass, but he gets bumped back one spot as Fuller runs his quickest pass of the 1000-foot era. He has a big top end mph and that is the second quickest in the 1000-foot era. Rod Fuller's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.056/280.54 mph.
Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.157, 660ft-3.066/275.67 mph.

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Left Lane: Hillary Will Runs 3.902/310.48, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.861/303.84, Was #6
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.853/301.27, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.812/315.49, Was #2

Will with a nice pass, and she will start Sunday from the number six spot. Brown with a good pass until right in the lights when he started to skate around. Apparently the engine let go because the Safety Safari is rolling to clean up the track.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 5.970/104.01, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.852/314.17, Was #5
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.806/318.92, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.781/316.60, Was #1

That was another long oil down, but we are now back so we can crown the Top Fuel Champion after this run. Cory Mac lost traction early and he clicked it off. Schumacher clinches the Championship in style with the second quickest pass of the weekend, and the fastest pass in the 1000-foot era. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.153, 660ft-3.049/281.89 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink