Sat, 06 Jul 2013, 16:09 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

NORWALK, Ohio - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA 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: Pat Dakin Runs 5.278/135.48, Now #19; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 4.602/179.92, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.422/109.69, Was #19

Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 61 percent, barometer 29.13 inches, adjusted altitude 3,590 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Dakin launched hard and then started to smoke the tires and he pedaled it and was back up in smoke. Palmer started to smoke the tires and bang the blower and the engine let go. The word from the top end is there is oil on the track in Palmer's lane and that will cost him five points and $1500.

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Left Lane: Leah Pruett Runs 4.061/274.50, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.495/120.78, Was #20
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.102/226.77, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.059/223.80, Was #17

Pruett started to smoke the tires and then started dropping cylinders and she will not get in the show. Force started drifting out of the groove and had to lift or cross the centerline and she will not make the show.

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Left Lane: Chris Karamesines No Time, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.020/264.55, Was #15
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.059/289.76, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.021/292.27, Was #16

Karamesines after watching the two in front of him no get in the show he decided to save on parts and pulled out of line. Buff was starting down the groove on clean pass, but will not improve.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 8.032/90.42, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.842/318.39, Was #12
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 6.906/99.71, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.874/299.53, Was #14

Teammates here and they are both up in smoke almost at the same time...

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 7.549/78.96, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.819/324.67, Was #9
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 8.128/52.30, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.871/320.58, Was #13

Massey is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Dixon started to drop cylinders and the the banged the blower with a big explosion. The word is there is only parts and pieces.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 6.384/95.28, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.813/324.67, Was #8
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 5.771/115.16, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.842/322.19, Was #11

McMillen and Grubnic are up in smoke at almost the same time and they both clicked them off and coast on down the track.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.910/313.07, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.801/321.04, Was #4
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 5.141/139.14, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.820/321.50, Was #10

alBalooshiwas up in smoke early and pedaled it a couple times, but couldn't get it to hook up. Vandergriff was straight down the groove with a good clean pass. The quickest of the round. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.205, 660ft-3.136/273.16 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 6.231/98.96, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.789/327.27, Was #3
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 5.053/144.63, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.812/315.78, Was #7

Millican is up in smoke by 200 feet and he clicks it off. Brown is up in smoke by 300 feet and he clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.252/200.26, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.778/320.74, Was #2
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.859/318.69, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.806/327.03, Was #6

Schumacher was on a good pass and then around the the 1/8 mile mark the big Goodyears started to smoke. Torrance with a great looking pass in the heat of the day with the quickest pass of the session. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.098/276.86 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 5.423/127.05, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.767/327.74, Was #1
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.813/322.88, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.802/315.64, Was #5

Kalitta is up in smoke by half track and clicked it off. Langdon with a great looking pass as he was straight down the groove with the quickest pass of the round. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.852 sec., 330ft-2.164, 660ft-3.065/283.43 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink