Sat, 5 Jun 2010, 12:28 AM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.932/292.65, Now #1
Right Lane: Tim Cullinan Runs 4.083/270.05, Now #2

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 71 percent, barometer 29.04 inches, adjusted altitude 3,062 feet, track temperature 79 degrees.

Vandergriff was on a good looking pass until right before the lights when the engine let got with a big fireball. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.197, 660ft-3.125/269.51 mph. Cullinan with a nice clean pass to start the weekend...Tim Cullinan's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.300, 660ft-3.252/265.38 mph.

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Left Lane: T.J. Zizzo Runs 3.874/311.27, Now #1
Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 4.256/224.55, Now #4

Zizzo with a great looking pass, his career quickest and fastest pass...Karamesines with a nice pass until it started mixing up cylinders and then he clicked it off early.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.107/280.14, Now #4
Right Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 8.435/79.68, Now #6

Dakin started to lose traction early and pedaled it and couldn't get it to hook up and clicked it off. Haddock was real loose on the top end, but stayed with it.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.884/313.95, Now #2
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 7.512/94.15, Now #7

McMillen lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle and then he hit the throttle one more time and it didn't hook up. Torrence launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number two spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.186, 660ft-3.111/273.16 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.990/299.26, Now #4
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 7.347/82.20, Now #8

Grubnic started to lose traction right off the starting line and he clicked it off. Lucas with a good clean pass, straight down the groove. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.242, 660ft-3.189/266.27 mph.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.982/261.22, Now #9
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.871/312.93, Now #1

Langdon launched hard and keep the header flames shooting high over the rear wing with a nice looking pass. He goes to the top of the list. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.098/275.06 mph. Bernstein started to loose traction and pedaled and then drove it on through...

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.549/235.43, Now #9
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 6.847/91.56, Now #11

Brown start to smoke the tires around 200 feet and he clicked it off. Kalitta started to smoke the tires and he pedaled and then was real loose but stayed with it.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.827/320.81, Now #1
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.841/317.49, Now #2

This was a great side-by-side drag race as they go to one and two. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.070/278.46 mph.
Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.162, 660ft-3.078/277.43 mph.

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Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.814/317.42, Now #1

Dixon launches hard and keeps the Goodyears hooked up all the way down the groove to go to the number one spot. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.152, 660ft-3.054/279.50 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink