Sat, 20 Oct 2012, 17:02 PM Nostalgia Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Nostalgia Top Fuel at the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series, California Hot Rod Reunion XXI 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: Rick White Runs 5.942/246.30, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.787/249.67, Was #2
Right Lane: Paul Romine Runs 10.445/87.50, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.883/207.69, Was #4

12:13 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 47 percent, barometer 29.18 inches, adjusted altitude 2,435 feet.

Field not filled, no bump spot.

White has a good leave, but can't match his pace from yesterday. The car slows on the top end.

Romine sits on the line for about a half a second more and then leaves, His engine isn't at all happy and he clicks it off quickly.

Rick White's incremental times: 60ft-1.066 sec., 330ft-2.700, 660ft-3.964/196.82 mph, 1,000ft-5.034.

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Left Lane: Brendan Murry Runs 6.794/180.07, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.840/112.38, Was #11
Right Lane: Mendy Fry Runs 6.616/139.44, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.361/162.20, Was #10

Fry has a small advantage off the line, but slows down track.

Murry's car isn't happy either and is dropping cylinders early.

Neither car will improve.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.857/251.53, Now #4; Best prior run: 14.975/69.95, Was #14
Right Lane: Bill Dunlap Runs 5.968/237.59, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.134/200.08, Was #9

Well, these two definitely pick up the pace!

Dunlap leaves first, with Bartone right behind.

Bartone is quickly out in front and pull steadily ahead to move into the top half of the field.

Dunlap gets a full pass this time and sets our first five second bump spot.

Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-1.079 sec., 330ft-2.728, 660ft-3.968/202.85 mph, 1,000ft-4.992.
Bill Dunlap's incremental times: 60ft-1.086 sec., 330ft-2.743, 660ft-4.002/201.82 mph, 1,000ft-5.062.

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Left Lane: Rick McGee Runs 5.845/201.25, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.945/187.16, Was #7
Right Lane: John Rasmussen Runs 5.946/224.14, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.002/241.63, Was #9

Rasmussen is now outside and looking in. He doesn't what he needs to do, with some wet holes down track, and bumps back into the field.

McGee had a big advantage off the line and increased it at every mark to jump up three spots to the new number four spot for now. Nice looking pass.

Rick McGee's incremental times: 60ft-1.020 sec., 330ft-2.593, 660ft-3.785/210.60 mph, 1,000ft-4.808.
John Rasmussen's incremental times: 60ft-1.065 sec., 330ft-2.714, 660ft-3.952/203.40 mph, 1,000ft-5.000.

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Left Lane: Jim Murphy Runs 5.858/238.30, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.792/226.01, Was #3
Right Lane: Rick Williamson Runs 5.791/256.50, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.750/261.02, Was #1

12:26 p.m. ...and we have oil!

Williamson jumps off the line first and has the half track advantage by a bunch. Right before the lights, the plume of oil smoke poured off the back of the car and he slows a little from yesterday's best.

Murphy makes a clean pass in the left lane, but can't match yesterday's times.

Jim Murphy's incremental times: 60ft-1.024 sec., 330ft-2.630, 660ft-3.875/199.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.936.
Rick Williamson's incremental times: 60ft-1.080 sec., 330ft-2.702, 660ft-3.919/208.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.929.

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Left Lane: Adam Sorokin Runs 5.906/202.88, Now #8; Best prior run: 14.212/79.75, Was #14

12:47 p.m. Last car of the last session.

Sorokin just gets into the field on a so-so pass. The little Chevy left hard and charged down the track until near the 1000 foot mark. The engine started to woof smoke at that point and the car quickly slowed.

Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink