Sat, 27 Sep 2014, 18:49 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from final, round 4 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Right Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 10.285/85.20, Now #18; Best prior run: 10.930/76.00, Was #18

Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.63 inches, adjusted altitude 2,578 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

Novelli is up in smoke as soon as he steps on the throttle and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.878/314.61, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Kyle Wurtzel Runs 3.965/291.70, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.034/259.51, Was #14

Buff launched hard and keep it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend to get in the show. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.175, 660ft-3.107/273.77 mph. Wurtzel with a real nice pass, straight down the groove to get in the show. Kyle Wurtzel's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.216, 660ft-3.168/268.06 mph.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 4.116/286.92, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.963/152.02, Was #17
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.899/319.75, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.931/315.34, Was #14

Palmer with his quickest pass of the weekend, but he will not get in the show. McMillen with a good pass and improves on his pass from earlier today. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.136/274.44 mph.

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Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.806/319.90, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.812/319.98, Was #11

alBalooshi with his quickest pass of the weekend to move up the ladder one spot, also the quickest pass of the session. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.051/281.66 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.813/323.81, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.809/323.12, Was #11
Right Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.840/318.17, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.798/323.89, Was #8

Force with another good looking pass, straight down the groove. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.151, 660ft-3.064/281.25 mph. Vandergriff with another good pass, but he will he will not improve. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.080/276.92 mph.

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 7.511/81.18, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.801/323.50, Was #9
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.758/325.45, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.780/324.83, Was #4

Massey starts to lose traction early and clicks it off. Kalitta launched hard and keep it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.020/287.47 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.782/319.14, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.796/318.62, Was #7
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.768/324.44, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.780/326.16, Was #4

This was a great side-by-side drag race Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend and he moves up to the number six spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.031/281.66 mph. Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number three spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.828 sec., 330ft-2.123, 660ft-3.021/282.66 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.794/324.90, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.786/322.42, Was #7
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.808/322.81, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.779/325.37, Was #4

torrence with another great pass, but he will not improve...Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.144, 660ft-3.047/281.66 mph. Todd also with another great pass, but no improvement. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.144, 660ft-3.054/279.38 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.780/320.97, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.780/315.19, Was #5
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 4.058/207.43, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.764/322.73, Was #2

Langdon with a great pass, matching his qualifying E.T., so hs will not improve. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.032/283.49 mph. Crampton started eating up his engine and clicked it off....

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink