Sat, 28 Jun 2003, 01:21 AM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Rowe

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual Sears Craftsman 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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Left Lane: Don Reed Runs 5.317/203.80, Now #13; Best prior run: 12.990/79.34, Was #21

10:42 PM Reed on a decent pass, gets about 1000 feet out and the engine goes silent.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.667/315.34, Now #1; Best prior run: 11.856/73.67, Was #21
Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 10.445/95.58, Now #22; No Prior Run

Head went up in smoke in the first round, Karamesines did not make a pass. No problems for Head on this run, right down the groove, header flames high and steady, he makes the quickest pass of the event so far. Karamesines hits the throttle and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Josh Starcher Runs 7.596/108.69, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.412/137.81, Was #18
Right Lane: Joe Hartley No Time, Now #21; Best prior run: 9.613/94.32, Was #21

Hartley hits the throttle and the engine explodes in a big ball of flames. Starcher gets about 600 feet out and shuts down.

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Left Lane: Luigi Novelli No Time, Now #0; Best prior run: 0.000/5.76, Was #16
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 8.864/77.34, Now #20; Best prior run: 7.480/90.30, Was #20

Novelli makes a great pass, the scoreboard showing 4.693, but it may not stand. The 1000 foot time shows it should have been in the high 4.8 range and no MPH was recorded, something probably tripping the beams early. Grubnic went up in smoke early and he aborts the run.

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Left Lane: Paul Romine No Time, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.720/159.04, Was #16
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 5.042/275.79, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.481/126.25, Was #19

Romine gets out of shape, crosses the centerline and takes out the 1/8 mile MPH cone. Palmer makes a decent pass and gets in at the fifteenth spot.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 5.063/244.29, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.802/298.87, Was #11
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel No Time, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.941/278.75, Was #14

Herbert was on a decent pass until the 1000 foot mark, then the engine lets go, oiling down the track. Troxel broke and could not make a pass.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 7.123/118.90, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.779/269.62, Was #9
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 8.044/103.42, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.818/283.13, Was #13

11:58 PM and we're back from another long cleanup. The track has cooled down after the two oil-downs and it really affects the traction. Both dragsters go up in smoke about 200 feet out.

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Left Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 6.001/145.52, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.760/308.92, Was #7
Right Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 8.183/108.22, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.813/303.37, Was #12

Hartman-Smith gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Russell gets a little further and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 5.826/152.02, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.752/309.42, Was #6
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 9.843/80.57, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.780/290.38, Was #10

A repeat of the last run, McClenethan going up in smoke, followed soon after by Bernstein.

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Left Lane: Scott Weis Runs 13.745/82.35, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.750/306.12, Was #5

Weis gets about 300 feet out, goes up in smoke and aborts the run.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.674/307.37, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.709/319.29, Was #3
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 7.178/107.50, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.738/305.98, Was #4

Dixon gets down the track and moves up a spot to number two. Baca gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink