Fri, 26 Sep 2014, 18:18 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Third annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Right Lane: Kyle Wurtzel Runs 4.618/165.60, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.69 inches, adjusted altitude 2,807 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

Wurtzel making Top Fuel debut in NHRA competition. He started to smoke the tires and then clicked it off.

---

Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 4.636/171.84, Now #2

Novelli started spinning the tires and then mixing up cylinders before the engine let go with a fireball.around 400 feet.

---

Left Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 4.058/263.05, Now #1
Right Lane: Pat Dakin Runs 16.698/59.26, Now #4

Karamesines was on a good pass and then past half track he started drifting out of the groove and started smoking the tires. He got real close to the wall...Dakin was up in smoke right at the hit and then banged the blower with a quick fireball and coasted through the 1000 feet.

---

Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.945/310.84, Now #2
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.863/321.50, Now #1

Buff was on great looking pass and then just past the finish line the right rear tire shredded for unknow reasons and Buff got the car to stop safely. McMillen with a real nice pass, straight down the groove to go to the number one spot. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.186, 660ft-3.106/278.12 mph.

---

Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 5.224/106.03, Now #7
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.847/319.98, Now #1

Millican started to mix up cylinders and then the blower belt came off and there was a quick flash of flames as it banged the blower. Vandergriff launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.166, 660ft-3.089/276.75 mph.

---

Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.994/294.18, Now #5
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.863/320.36, Now #3

Force was on a good pass and then started to drop cylinders on the top end, but still gets into the top half of the show. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.212, 660ft-3.181/258.27 mph. Crampton with a good looking pass, straight down the groove to go to the number three spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.191, 660ft-3.107/279.27 mph.

---

Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.870/316.60, Now #4
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 6.235/96.72, Now #11

Brown with a nice pass, good and clean to get in the top half of the show. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.189, 660ft-3.106/277.77 mph. alBalooshi with tire shake right at the hit and clicks it off

---

Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.870/318.69, Now #5
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.797/323.66, Now #1

Massey was straight down the groove to get into the top half of the show. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.106/275.56 mph. Todd launched hard and keep the Goodyears hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.047/279.90 mph.

---

Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.819/322.11, Now #2
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.537/171.47, Now #11

Langdon with a real nice pass to go to the number two spot. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.163, 660ft-3.067/282.07 mph. Kalitta started to haze the tires around half track and clicked it off.

---

Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.866/320.97, Now #7
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.840/321.88, Now #3

Torrence with a good clean pass and he goes to the number seven spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.192, 660ft-3.109/278.00 mph. Schumacher coming off two wins last weekend with a great pass to go to the number three spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.170, 660ft-3.085/279.44 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink