Fri, 12 Sep 2014, 14:48 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

CONCORD, N.C. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Ike Maier Runs 5.596/122.00, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 60 percent, barometer 29.34 inches, adjusted altitude 3,376 feet, track temperature 117 degrees.

Maier starts to rattle the tires right at the hit and pedals it only to lose traction again before he clicks it off.

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Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.846/319.75, Now #1

Torrence was straight down the groove with a real nice pass. Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.087/279.15 mph.

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Left Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 3.912/302.14, Now #2
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 5.354/97.74, Now #3

Dakin with a good pass and right in the lights something flew off the car, but he still goes to second place on the ladder for now. Pat Dakin's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.188, 660ft-3.118/271.35 mph. Lucas drops a cylinder or two around half track and then apparently banged the blower as the chutes came out.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 4.357/188.65, Now #4
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.938/311.27, Now #3

Pritchett started to haze the tires around half track and moved around a little before she clicked it off. McMillen with a good clean pass to start the weekend. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.209, 660ft-3.157/269.78 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 6.805/85.83, Now #8
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.003/277.83, Now #4

Millican starts to lose traction early and clicks it off. Vandergriff starts to haze the tires just past half track and he clicks it off.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 12.679/39.13, Now #10
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.070/232.63, Now #5

Todd's pipes went wet before he got to the Christmas tree and he went nowhere. Force starts to haze the tires just past half track and she clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.891/311.05, Now #2
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.919/311.85, Now #4

This was a good looking side-by-side drag race. Crampton was on a nice looking pass until the top end when he was spinning the tires. He goes to the number two spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.194, 660ft-3.119/276.52 mph. alBalooshi goes to the number four spot with a real nice pass. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.212, 660ft-3.143/274.89 mph.

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.858/317.42, Now #3
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.852/320.58, Now #2

This was a great drag race and they go to the number two and three spots. torrence slides into the number two spot right behind his father. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.188, 660ft-3.099/280.84 mph. Massey with the new look this weekend running Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher. Massey was just a tick behind to go to the number three spot. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.168, 660ft-3.094/276.58 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.847/316.30, Now #2
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.708/159.80, Now #12

Schumacher launched hard and was straight down the groove to go to the number two spot. He runs the fastest pass of the day. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.164, 660ft-3.085/278.17 mph. Langdon starts to haze the tires and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.880/311.27, Now #6
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.872/317.94, Now #5

These two are side-by-side all the way down the track to get into the top half of the show. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.179, 660ft-3.104/274.61 mph.
Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.185, 660ft-3.109/276.75 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink