Sat, 14 Nov 2015, 16:27 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 51st annual Auto Club NHRA Finals 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: Jenna Haddock Runs 6.097/110.61, Now #13; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 21 percent, barometer 28.81 inches, adjusted altitude 2,629 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

Haddock dropped a cylinder right at the hit and had some tire shake before she lifted.

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Left Lane: Steve Faria Runs 4.028/263.26, Now #12; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 8.235/82.66, Now #15; No Prior Run

Faria with his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number 12 spot. Steve Faria's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.181/266.42 mph. Reed with a lot of tire shake early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.785/327.59, Now #9; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.720/159.17, Now #15; No Prior Run

Torrence launched hard and keep it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number nine spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.141, 660ft-3.042/283.79 mph. McClenatahn started to haze the tires just past half track and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 5.826/107.73, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.775/323.89, Was #8
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 4.019/289.32, Now #13; No Prior Run

Millican started to smoke the tires early and clicked it off. McMillen started to haze the tires on the top end, but still make his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number 13 spot. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.248, 660ft-3.194/263.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.820/305.98, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.143/210.05, Was #15
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.787/322.81, Now #10; No Prior Run

Teammates paired up here...Lucas was on a good looking pass until right in the lights when there was puff of smoke and he slowed. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.166, 660ft-3.061/283.43 mph. Crampton with a good looking pass, his quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number ten spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.142, 660ft-3.041/284.69 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.794/316.23, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.015/228.19, Was #14
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.764/330.80, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.846/273.77, Was #13

Force launched hard and was on a good looking pass until right in the light when the engine went away. The word from the top end is there is oil in her lane. That is her first of the year and will cost her $1000. Todd with a great looking pass, straight down the groove with the quickest pass of the day. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.035/286.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 6.388/93.18, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.829/313.51, Was #14
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.318/187.21, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.774/326.56, Was #8

Buff with tire shake and started to smoke the tires early and clicked it off. Langdon overpowered the track and was up in smoke before he clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Dave Connolly Runs 3.853/274.61, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.764/327.03, Was #6
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.845/316.67, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.771/319.82, Was #7

Connolly with a good pass early and then uses up the engine and the car slows. The word from the top end is there is oil in Connolly's lane. This is his seventh oil down of the season and will cost him $3000. Dave Connolly's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.135, 660ft-3.045/277.15 mph. Kalitta with a good clean pass, but will not improve. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.186, 660ft-3.084/282.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.755/322.81, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.758/324.90, Was #4
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.778/326.71, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.745/324.59, Was #3

This was a great side-by-side drag race...Brown with the quickest pass of the round and Schumacher with the third quickest of the session. Brown with his quickest pass of the weekend, but will stay in the number four spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.133, 660ft-3.012/287.78 mph. Schumacher with a real nice pass, but didn't improve...Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.040/287.41 mph.

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Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 3.774/326.63, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.737/327.19, Was #2
Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 4.624/160.67, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.726/331.61, Was #1

Dixon launched hard and keep it hooked up to make the third quickest pass of the round. Larry Dixon's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.039/289.14 mph. Torrence is up in smoke just past half track and clicks it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink