Fri, 12 Feb 2010, 07:32 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline 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: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.899/310.98, Now #4; Best prior run: 9.402/76.45, Was #15
Right Lane: Steve Faria No Time, Now #18; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 46 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 2,229 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.

Faria broke on the burnout and drove off the top end...Bernstein with a great looking pass and moves to the number four spots. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.185, 660ft-3.119/271.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 9.043/84.24, Now #16; Best prior run: 8.674/80.00, Was #15
Right Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 4.239/267.43, Now #9; Best prior run: 11.936/75.25, Was #17

McMillen is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Chrisman was on a good pass and uses up an engine. The Safety Safari is rolling so apparently Chrisman put some oil on the track.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.869/313.73, Now #3; Best prior run: 8.361/76.03, Was #14
Right Lane: Andy Carter Runs 4.260/218.34, Now #12; Best prior run: 10.485/72.63, Was #17

Brown launched hard and keep it hooked to move up to the number three spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.096/249.86 mph. Carter was dropping cylinders right from the hit and then the engine let go with a big fireball...The Safety Safari is rolling again.

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Left Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 7.622/91.96, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.688/85.52, Was #15
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.823/316.90, Now #2; Best prior run: 8.580/59.18, Was #16

Strasburg smokes the big rear Goodyears right off the starting line...Lucas launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number two spot. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.060/279.32 mph. This is a career best mph pass for Lucas.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.876/313.44, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.254/265.95, Was #12
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.795/317.79, Now #1; Best prior run: 7.439/112.87, Was #15

Kalitta with a nice pass to get into the top half of the show...Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.181, 660ft-3.103/274.89 mph. Dixon with a great looking pass and he blast to the number one spot. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.036/280.89 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.835/317.57, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.056/206.99, Was #12
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.929/305.42, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.124/105.23, Was #15

Schumacher with a great pass, straight down the groove , third quick of the session. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.156, 660ft-3.072/277.83 mph. Torrence with real nice pass to get in the show...Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.210, 660ft-3.139/270.59 mph.

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Left Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 4.231/281.01, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.997/308.00, Was #13
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.854/319.60, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.954/258.52, Was #12

No help for Karamesines as he slows from his time yesterday. He labored off the starting line. Grubnic with a good clean pass to make a move in the right direction. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.095/279.44 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.108/223.73, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.950/286.01, Was #12
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 7.479/80.26, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.847/309.98, Was #5

Langdon was up in smoke by the 330-foot mark. Buff was on a good pass until just past half track and the car went silent.

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Left Lane: Thomas Nataas Runs 9.262/74.26, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.880/306.33, Was #9
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.467/171.34, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.809/320.05, Was #2

Nataas was up in smoke right off the starting line. McClenathan made it to about 400 feet before he lost traction and clicked it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink