Sat, 19 Jun 2010, 02:58 PM Pro Modified Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Rowe

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Pro Modified at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley 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: Chuck Cheeseman Runs 6.218/230.53, Now #21; Best prior run: 6.278/228.31, Was #21
Right Lane: Chip King Runs 6.231/229.12, Now #22; Best prior run: 6.338/228.85, Was #22

2:35 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 45 percent, barometer 28.49 inches, adjusted altitude 4,392 feet, track temperature 134 degrees.

Cheeseman improves on his runs from yesterday but not enough to get in the show. King makes a big improvement but won't be racing later tonight.

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Left Lane: Dennis Radford Runs 6.139/232.43, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.143/230.25, Was #16
Right Lane: Burton Auxier Runs 6.171/233.40, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.206/233.16, Was #20

Both improve, neither move on the ladder. Radford will stay on the bump, Auxier does not qualify.

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Left Lane: Tony Pontieri Runs 6.090/238.43, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.110/238.22, Was #13
Right Lane: Mike Knowles Runs 6.214/235.43, Now #19; Best prior run: 6.161/234.66, Was #19

Knowles makes a decent pass but doesn't improve and will not make the show. Pontieri makes an impressive run in the heat and moves up a couple of notches to the ninth spot.

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Left Lane: Ed Hoover Runs 6.083/234.98, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.096/235.02, Was #11
Right Lane: Kenny Lang Runs 6.106/236.46, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.159/227.77, Was #18

A couple of nice runs, both right down the groove. Lang makes a big improvement and will get in the show in the 13th spot knocking out Radford. Hoover improves a little and will move up a spot on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Raymond Commisso Runs 6.133/239.95, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.074/240.98, Was #8
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 6.169/236.09, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.144/237.80, Was #18

Troxel makes a clean run but doesn't have enough to get in the show. Commisso makes a decent pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Roger Burgess Runs 6.083/239.61, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.053/238.05, Was #7
Right Lane: Joe Baker Runs 6.163/233.60, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.133/234.86, Was #16

A couple of clean runs but no improvement for either driver.

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Left Lane: Scott Ray Runs 6.058/234.82, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.041/236.17, Was #6
Right Lane: Mike Janis Runs 6.086/236.84, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.122/234.21, Was #15

Janis makes his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up four notches to the 11th spot. No help for Ray.

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Left Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 9.741/89.53, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.006/237.05, Was #4
Right Lane: Brad Personett Runs 6.107/247.25, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.108/249.07, Was #15

Smith gets about 300 feet out and clicks it off. Personett makes a nice run but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Danny Rowe Runs 15.965/54.96, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.999/241.80, Was #3
Right Lane: Rick Stivers Runs 6.180/236.30, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.102/236.75, Was #13

Rowe rattles the tires at the hit, takes a turn toward the center-line and has to back off the throttle. Stivers makes a clean run but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 6.053/238.26, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.998/237.13, Was #2
Right Lane: Troy Coughlin Runs 6.101/233.12, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.081/233.76, Was #9

Coughlin drifts to the right early in the run, then drives it back to the center of the lane and makes a decent run. Payne slows from his attempt last night but makes the quickest pass of the session so far.

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Left Lane: Mike Castellana Runs 6.018/236.42, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.993/239.10, Was #1
Right Lane: Von Smith Runs 6.384/176.21, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.030/240.51, Was #5

Castellana makes another great run in the heat of the day, the quickest of the session. Smith has problems late in the run and backs off the throttle.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink