Sat, 04 Oct 2014, 16:29 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

MOHNTON, Pa. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual Auto-Plus 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: Bob Vandergriff Runs 7.358/86.90, Now #15; Best prior run: 11.237/67.72, Was #16
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.835/316.15, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.841/150.90, Was #14

Vandergriff started to lose traction right off the starting line and clicked it off. Millican launched hard and made his quickest pass of the weekend. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.171, 660ft-3.071/279.96 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.977/241.97, Now #15; Best prior run: 10.567/82.48, Was #16

McMillen was on a good looking pass until around an eighth mile when the car went silent.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 11.001/62.55, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.814/317.49, Was #10
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.899/310.84, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.834/316.82, Was #12

Crampton had a fuel line come off right at the hit and the car was completely sideways before he clicked it off. alBalooshi was straight down the groove with a clean pass. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.212, 660ft-3.123/277.03 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.786/324.05, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.802/324.83, Was #9
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.834/306.74, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.821/316.52, Was #11

Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 29.04 inches, adjusted altitude 1,859 feet, track temperature 80 degrees.

Torrence launched hard and keep it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend to get into the top half of the show. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.835 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.038/283.07 mph. Pritchett with another good looking pass, but she will not improve. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.058/279.50 mph.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 9.321/74.29, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.788/325.30, Was #9
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 8.739/79.18, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.773/325.77, Was #6

Dixon was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Langdon with severe tire right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 3.767/327.90, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.774/323.19, Was #7
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 5.462/123.16, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.762/323.50, Was #4

Massey launched hard and keep it hooked up with his quickest pass of the weekend to move up the ladder one spot. Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.145, 660ft-3.028/287.05 mph. Brown is up in smoke around 330 feet and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.733/327.51, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.766/324.67, Was #5
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.738/325.77, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.756/325.30, Was #3

Schumacher launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight to run his career quickest pass to go to the number one spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.827 sec., 330ft-2.109, 660ft-2.994/287.41 mph. Todd with a great looking pass and he keeps it hooked up to go to the number three spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.121, 660ft-2.998/289.26 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.411/177.07, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.747/326.95, Was #4
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.745/329.50, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.737/328.78, Was #2

Kalitta started to smoke the tires and clicked it off. Force with another great pass and she will stay in the number two spot. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.832 sec., 330ft-2.133, 660ft-3.013/289.76 mph.

Schumacher holds on to the number one qualifying spot for the fourth time this season and the 76th time in his career.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink