Sat, 26 Jun 2010, 01:18 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

NORWALK, Ohio - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual Summit Racing Equipment 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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Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.861/315.93, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.950/305.49, Was #12

Torrence after having problems yesterday makes a great pass here to move into the top half of the show. This was a career best speed for Torrence. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.090/275.00 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 7.712/88.71, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.931/305.91, Was #11
Right Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 3.908/309.20, Now #10; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 28.96 inches, adjusted altitude 3,302 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Langdon started to smoke the tires early and clicked it off. Dakin with a real nice pass, clean and straight down the groove to get in the show. Pat Dakin's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.193, 660ft-3.126/271.52 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 7.101/82.13, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.920/308.92, Was #11
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 3.887/313.73, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.889/308.57, Was #6

Schumacher is up in smoke by 300 feet and clicks it off. McClenathan with his quickest pass of the weekend, but will stay in the number six spot. Cory McClenathan's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.182, 660ft-3.115/273.44 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.911/314.68, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.940/313.00, Was #13
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 8.745/88.53, Now #14; No Prior Run

Palmer is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Kalitta with a good clean pass to move up the ladder a couple spots...Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.205, 660ft-3.138/272.56 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.121/268.38, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tim Cullinan Runs 4.967/145.80, Now #15; No Prior Run

Cullinan starting spin the tires around half track and clicked it off. Buff dropped a cylinder or two right from the start and then had couple wiggles and then clicked it off a little early.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock No Time, Now #19; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.893/306.40, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.904/305.70, Was #9

Haddock did the burnout and they spotted a small leak and was shut off. Lucas with his quickest pass of the weekend to move into the top half of the show. He had a lot of smoke as he was crossing the finish line. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.176, 660ft-3.107/270.70 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.969/294.24, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.133/215.58, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.898/305.01, Was #9

McMilllen with a good clean pass to get in the show...Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.226, 660ft-3.159/269.08 mph. Grubnic was on a nice pass and then clicked it off early. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.186, 660ft-3.127/255.63 mph.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.861/313.15, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.848/312.42, Was #3
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 6.295/96.09, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.872/308.50, Was #5

Vandergriff started to lose traction and clicked it off by 300 feet. Bernstein with a good clean pass, second quick of this session. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.172, 660ft-3.091/276.18 mph.

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Left Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 3.998/291.76, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 5.200/138.77, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.795/318.99, Was #2

Brown smoke the hydes early and clicks it off. Novelli with a great looking pass and career best for Novelli, his first 3-second 1000-foot pass. Luigi Novelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.246, 660ft-3.187/267.16 mph. He gets in the show and that bumps out Cullinan.

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Left Lane: Doug Foley No Time, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.896/314.24, Was #8
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.873/309.13, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.780/320.43, Was #1

Foley fires the car and then the fuel shut off switch is not working so the crew shuts him off. Dixon with a real nice pass, third quickest of the session. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.185, 660ft-3.103/278.40 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink