Sat, 31 May 2003, 03:25 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Sixth annual Lucas Oil NHRA Route 66 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: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.570/320.58, Now #2; No Prior Run

Current weather conditions: 51 degrees, 85 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.95 inches, with a track temperature of 75 degrees.

McClenathan with a great looking pass straight down the groove into the number two spot.

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Left Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 4.852/290.13, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.277/202.73, Was #15
Right Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 5.689/174.08, Now #16; No Prior Run

Novelli was able to keep the candles lit all the way through the 1320 for the 14th spot. Karamesines was on and off then back on the throttle right off the starting line. He pedaled it again just past half track before he clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Tim Cullinan Runs 14.009/74.11, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.924/282.95, Was #15
Right Lane: Don Reed Runs 5.553/178.24, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.553/178.24, Was #16

Cullinan was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Reed got out of the groove and really close to the wall and had to lift to recover.

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Left Lane: Paul Romine Runs 4.793/298.80, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.719/310.48, Was #12
Right Lane: Scott Weis Runs 7.330/105.87, Now #19; Best prior run: 9.212/91.84, Was #19

Weis launched hard and then pitched the blower belt around the 330-foot mark and coasted it on through the quarter mile. Romine pushed out a head gasket with a quick flash of flame around 1200 feet.

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Left Lane: John Smith Runs 4.556/325.77, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.710/310.41, Was #11
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 6.613/162.98, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.591/188.83, Was #18

Herbert goes up in smoke around 200-foot mark and then he pedaled it a couple times but could not get it to hook back up. Smith in the other lane with a great looking pass as he launched hard and was straight down the groove for his career fastest pass. He had never been 320 mph before and with this run he blast into the 325 mph range.

The trucks are rolling now, so it looks like Herbert put some oil out on the track. Herbert is down to last shot to get in the field.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 7.960/89.49, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.663/318.99, Was #10
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel No Time, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.830/296.37, Was #13

Troxel did the burnout and was leaking something when she was backing up and got shut off. Grubnic launched hard and then pitched the blower belt around the 330-foot mark.

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Left Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 14.636/75.94, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.645/310.05, Was #9
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 13.185/68.22, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.688/313.51, Was #11

Both cars are up in smoke as soon as they hit the throttle.

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Left Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.594/325.53, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.633/320.89, Was #8
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 4.639/311.70, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.616/321.27, Was #6

After watching the previous two cars go up in smoke we have a great looking drag race here. No help for Baca and Bernstein leap frogs Baca on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 4.794/305.49, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.631/315.19, Was #8
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.512/326.16, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.600/317.27, Was #6

Schumacher in the Alan Johnson tuned machine for only the second pass runs his career quickest pass. This was a nice looking pass hitting on all eight and the Goodyears stuck all the way down. Rhonda with a clean pass, but will not improve on her time from yesterday.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 13.456/69.91, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.575/325.53, Was #5
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 10.299/79.16, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.520/329.26, Was #2

Dixon was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and lifted and Kalitta made to about 100 feet before he started to blister the hides.

That wraps up this session with one to go and Schumacher has the number one spot and Don Reed is on the bubble.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink