Fri, 2 May 2003, 05:41 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Larry Sullivan

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Chris Vandergriff Runs 4.801/288.46, Now #1

4:05 PM It's 81 degrees, 50 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.87, under partly cloudy skies, with a track temperature of 119 degrees.

Another Vandergriff is in Top Fuel, this time it's Bob's brother, making his first competitive run. It was a nice, clean, smooth pass down the track, a great way to start out.

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Left Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 4.895/270.59, Now #2
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 6.350/142.88, Now #3

Novelli was on a pretty good run, but lost the blower belt on the top end. Palmer's car smoked the tires at half track.

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Left Lane: Don Garlits Runs 4.943/271.19, Now #4
Right Lane: Josh Starcher Runs 4.873/294.88, Now #2

Nice contrast, a legend against a teenager. The crowd gave Garlits a standing ovation as the crew brought Swamp Rat 34 to life. Garlits was first to half track, then started hazing the tires and Starcher went by to get the bragging rights, for now, anyway.

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Left Lane: Don Lampus Runs 6.906/120.69, Now #6

Lampus was the quickest so far to 330 feet, but then the "Carrier Boyz" dragster started to chatter the tires and he shut it off.

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Left Lane: Paul Romine Runs 8.236/106.51, Now #8
Right Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 4.805/295.40, Now #2

Romine lost traction about 200 feet out. Hartman-Smith made a soft, safe, clean run with no tire smoke.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.742/316.30, Now #1
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 5.455/176.44, Now #7

Schumacher looked like he was set to go rounds last weekend after a good showing in qualifying, but the weather change on Sunday tripped them up. Millican ate up a bunch of pistons last weekend, but had no major engine damage, just lots of smoke. Schumacher made a nice run here, no tire smoke. Millican was quick early, but started to smoke the tires before half track and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: David Baca Runs 5.107/208.46, Now #8
Right Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 4.644/316.52, Now #1

Russell's team went back to the traditional body for Bristol and has it on the car again here. He made a nice opening run here, right down the groove. Baca started smoking the tires around half track.

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Left Lane: John Smith Runs 5.016/246.84, Now #9
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.607/318.32, Now #1

Smith started hazing the tires and tried to pedal it, without a lot of luck. Nice run by Cory Mac, just a bit quicker and faster than Russell after the first 330 feet.

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Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.665/295.53, Now #3
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 9.073/92.81, Now #16

Kalitta started smoking the tires around 200 feet out and shut it down. Herbert made a nice run, with no visible engine damage, just a bit behind Cory Mac's times at each of the timing increments.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.644/322.50, Now #2
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.670/316.23, Now #5

Must be the last pair because it's the beer cars!! Bernstein swept the plate clean last weekend, while Dixon survived a horrible crash only to see Bernstein take the points lead away from him. This opening salvo saw Dixon take the gauntlet back, but neither could match Cory Mac's pace and the New York Yankees/Berryman dragster sits atop the order after the first round of qualifying.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink