Sat, 26 Sep 2015, 16:18 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Fourth 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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Left Lane: Luigi Novelli Runs 4.428/180.57, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Dave Connolly Runs 3.797/325.06, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.843/321.04, Was #10

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 58 percent, barometer 29.65 inches, adjusted altitude 2,212 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Novelli was on a good pass, but then just past half track there was a quick flash of flame and he slowed. Connolly with a real nice, straight down the groove into the top half of the show. Dave Connolly's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.163, 660ft-3.054/284.81 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.799/323.81, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.837/319.45, Was #10
Right Lane: Jenna Haddock Runs 4.939/174.73, Now #14; No Prior Run

Torrence launched hard and keep it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number seven spot. After the run Torrence's chutes don't deploy, but he gets it stopped and makes the turn off. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.162, 660ft-3.056/283.25 mph. Haddock starts to smoke the tires right at the hit and pedals it, but can't get it to hook up and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.805/325.06, Now #9; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.886/315.42, Now #13; No Prior Run

Crampton with a good clean pass to get into the show. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.067/282.24 mph. Torrence dropped a cylinder right at the hit and never got it to pick back up. He gets into the show.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.765/322.96, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.792/321.50, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 10.431/70.27, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.825/320.13, Was #10

Brown with a great looking pass, straight down the groove with the quickest pass of the session. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.132, 660ft-3.021/285.77 mph. Schumacher is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.811/321.12, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.903/316.30, Was #14
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.887/319.67, Now #15; No Prior Run

Millican with a good looking pass, straight down the groove to go to the number 14 spot. McMillen drove through some tire shake right at the hit and then just past half track a lot of stuff came off the car. The word from the top end is it is from the oil containment (diaper) system. McMillen gets in the show.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.856/293.92, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.866/312.64, Was #13
Right Lane: Wayne Newby Runs 4.716/158.06, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.832/308.85, Was #12

Buff with his quickest pass of the weekend, but he will not improve. Newby with a whisp of tire smoke around half track and he clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Kyle Wurtzel Runs 3.918/308.43, Now #16; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.778/326.95, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.802/324.83, Was #8

Wurtzel with his quickest pass of weekend to get in the show. Kyle Wurtzel's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.202, 660ft-3.135/269.89 mph. Langdon launched hard and was straight down the groove with a great pass to move up the ladder three spots. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.157, 660ft-3.041/288.39 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.785/325.30, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.794/324.28, Was #6
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.763/323.43, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.777/322.42, Was #4

This was a great drag race...both cars are straight down the groove and both drivers make their quickest passes of the weekend. Force will not improve and stays in the number six spot. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.043/286.38 mph. Kalitta with the quickest pass of the session and he goes to the number two spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.021/287.90 mph.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.761/327.66, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.756/328.06, Was #1
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.406/179.21, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.776/326.87, Was #4

Dixon with a great pass until right in the light when there is a quick flash, but he still make the quickest pass of the session. He will not improve on his number one qualifying spot. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.143, 660ft-3.028/287.35 mph. todd starts to haze the tires around half track and clicks it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink