Sat, 18 Jun 2011, 06:46 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from final, round 4 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: Troy Buff No Time, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.051/80.17, Was #16

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 73 percent, barometer 28.38 inches, adjusted altitude 3,560 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Buff launched hard and was on real good pass until it used up the engine with a big fireball. Buff ran a 4.295 second pass, but there is oil on the track and this run will get DQ'ed. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.281, 660ft-3.306/238.76 mph.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 3.865/312.78, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.428/217.07, Was #15
Right Lane: Rod Fuller Runs 4.309/286.62, Now #15; No Prior Run

Fuller starts to smoke the tires and he pedals it and starts to lose traction again and pedals it again...the car starts dropping cylinders, but he stays with it to get in the show. That will bump out Buff. Worsham launched hard and was straight down the groove to move into the top half of the show. Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.177, 660ft-3.098/275.79 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.906/312.57, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.994/305.29, Was #12
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.905/313.07, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.920/314.09, Was #11

These two were side-by-side all the way down the track. Grubnic with a little wiggle right in the lights. They both move up the ladder one spot. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.201, 660ft-3.131/272.23 mph.
David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.878 sec., 330ft-2.209, 660ft-3.130/274.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.889/316.15, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.916/307.09, Was #12
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas No Time, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.902/314.02, Was #9

Langdon with a great looking pass...straight down the groove to get into the top half of the show. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.196, 660ft-3.120/274.78 mph. Lucas was on a good pass, but then started using up an engine and he put out some oil on the track.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.831/319.37, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.864/310.13, Was #3
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.887/318.92, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.901/316.38, Was #9

This was a great drag race as Schumacher gets into the top half of the show. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.207, 660ft-3.124/277.60 mph. Dixon with a picture perfect run to go to the number one spot. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.160, 660ft-3.071/278.17 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown No Time, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.864/317.12, Was #3
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.856/320.66, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.888/312.71, Was #8

Brown's car didn't move when the light turned green...the report id the throttle linkage came off. Kalitta launched hard and was straight down the groove to go to the number two spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.184, 660ft-3.096/278.06 mph.

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Left Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 3.828/316.52, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.859/312.50, Was #3
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.852/320.74, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.866/321.73, Was #6

This was a great drag race to wrap up qualifying. Bernstein goes bac to the top of the list with a great pass. Brandon Bernstein's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.166, 660ft-3.067/280.31 mph. Massey with another good pass to go to the number three spot...the fastest pass of the round. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.865 sec., 330ft-2.191, 660ft-3.094/281.25 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink