Fri, 17 Jun 2011, 10:58 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 11th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers 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: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.916/307.09, Now #2; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 66 percent, barometer 28.41 inches, adjusted altitude 2,841 feet, track temperature 89 degrees.

Langdon with a great looking pass, straight down the groove...he goes into the number two spot.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 6.908/65.30, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.632/103.06, Was #14
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.901/316.38, Now #1; No Prior Run

Buff starts to lose traction early and clicks it off. Schumacher launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.202, 660ft-3.129/273.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.994/305.29, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.651/116.40, Was #12
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.920/314.09, Now #4; Best prior run: 9.246/69.34, Was #17

Vandergriff with a real nice pass to move up the ladder. Grubnic launched hard and keep it hooked up to get in the show into the top half of the show. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.893 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.146/273.77 mph.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham No Time, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.835/151.10, Was #13
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.902/314.02, Now #2; Best prior run: 7.320/100.99, Was #17

Worsham with a great pass until just pass the finish line when the engine let go with a huge fireball. Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.176, 660ft-3.106/273.83 mph. There is oil in Worsham's in lane so this pass will not count...the quickest pass of the weekend is thrown out. Lucas with a great pass to move right in behind Schumacher in the number two spot. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.200, 660ft-3.128/273.88 mph.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.864/310.13, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.440/178.52, Was #12
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.040/280.31, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.494/75.49, Was #16

Fuller with good pass to get in the show. Rod Fuller's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.186, 660ft-3.180/250.60 mph. dixon launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. It appeared that he burnt up a head gasket right in the lights. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.164, 660ft-3.090/275.34 mph.

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Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 4.038/301.00, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.154/107.28, Was #16

Karamesines launched and keep the candles lit all the way through the 1000 feet. The "Greek" gets into the show and that will bump out Dakin. Chris Karamesines' incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.286, 660ft-3.238/266.85 mph.

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Left Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 4.167/261.78, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.091/278.23, Was #13
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.888/312.71, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.642/170.64, Was #15

Dakin slowed from his earlier pass, but was clean as it slowed on the top end. Kalitta launched hard and was straight down the groove with a great looking pass to go to the number two spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.187, 660ft-3.114/273.83 mph.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.859/312.50, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.950/313.95, Was #8
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.866/321.73, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.003/299.20, Was #11

This was a great side-by-side drag race as both car blasted down the drag strip with the header flames shooting high over the rear wing. Bernstein goes to the number one spot... Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.088/277.15 mph. Massy goes to the number three spot... Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.865 sec., 330ft-2.194, 660ft-3.110/278.40 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.864/317.12, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.909/308.99, Was #7
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.879/316.45, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.987/301.94, Was #10

This was a great way to wrap up qualifying as Brown goes to the number two spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.193, 660ft-3.101/278.23 mph. McMillen with his career fastest pass to go to the number five spot. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.192, 660ft-3.114/276.80 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink