Sat, 5 Jun 2010, 06:36 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from final, round 3 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 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: Pat Dakin Runs 3.916/311.85, Now #11; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 28.96 inches, adjusted altitude 3,422 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Dakin didn't make a pass earlier today...Dakin is just a tick off his quickest pass of the season and this is fastest pass of the season to get in the show. Pat Dakin's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.136/271.19 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.102/281.42, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.107/280.14, Was #15
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.915/310.27, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.870/85.03, Was #19

Haddock with his quickest pass of the weekend, but actually gets bumped back one spot when Grubnic gets into the show. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.198, 660ft-3.135/270.75 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.968/297.94, Now #15; Best prior run: 3.990/299.26, Was #14
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.872/312.06, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.415/114.59, Was #19

Brown is not in the show...he launches hard and keeps it hooked up to get into the top half of the show. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.167, 660ft-3.096/273.11 mph. Lucas with his quickest pass of the weekend, but gets bumped back when spot when Brown gets into the show.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.865/314.90, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.932/292.65, Was #14
Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 4.133/277.20, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.305/245.67, Was #19

Novelli pushed out a head gasket early and still runs quicker than his run today, but will not get into the show. Vandergriff launched hard and keep it hooked up to get into the top half of the show. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.181, 660ft-3.094/275.34 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.921/299.20, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.909/291.95, Was #12
Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 4.630/172.76, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.256/224.55, Was #19

Karamesines launched and then the engine went silent around half track with a lot of raw fuel coming out of the headers. Buff with a clean pass, but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.909/308.28, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.884/313.95, Was #10
Right Lane: Tim Cullinan Runs 4.045/300.06, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.083/270.05, Was #16

Cullinan didn't come out earlier today and improves with a nice clean pass, but will stay on the bump. Torrence with a nice clean pass...Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.188, 660ft-3.121/268.76 mph.

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Left Lane: T.J. Zizzo Runs 9.446/81.84, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.874/311.27, Was #9
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 5.136/137.30, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.901/304.87, Was #11

Zizzo lost traction n as soon as he hit the throttle. McMillen started to lose traction and got out of the groove before he clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 6.266/105.36, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.857/312.71, Was #5
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 7.162/91.48, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.871/312.93, Was #7

Langdon is up in smoke early and clicked it off. Kalitta then starts to lose traction and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.975/287.90, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.843/314.17, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 6.638/89.32, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.841/317.49, Was #3

Schumacher starts to lose traction and clicks it off...Bernstein starts dropping cylinders and then the engine lets in a big fireball.

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Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.822/320.05, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.827/320.81, Was #2
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.912/294.63, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.814/317.42, Was #1

Dixon with a nice pass, but was slowing on the top end. McClenathan with a great looking pass and the quickest of the round and will stay in the number two spot. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.831 sec., 330ft-2.155, 660ft-3.066/279.38 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink