Sat, 13 Feb 2016, 20:19 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals 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: J.R. Todd Runs 3.792/320.28, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.864/319.14, Was #14
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 4.782/162.59, Now #14; Best prior run: 3.844/313.00, Was #13

4:44 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 40 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 2,875 feet, track temperature 86 degrees.

Steve Faria is on the bump spot at 5.135.

Todd makes his best pass of the weekend and a six position move up into the top half of the field.

McMillen's engine isn't happy, with dropped cylinders at the green. He doesn't improve.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.851 sec., 330ft-2.153, 660ft-3.045/285.11 mph.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.713/324.51, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.817/321.27, Was #12
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.260/208.68, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.843/315.64, Was #13

Team Kalitta has struggled in TF this weekend. Todd just made a big move and Doug needs a better pass now.

POW! Boy, talk about getting it done! He is away first and just flies on down the track to match his career best ET and the new number one spot!

Buff's car was not up to the challenge and slows a bunch from earlier.

Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.107, 660ft-2.976/290.88 mph.
Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.199, 660ft-3.206/239.40 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.759/324.20, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.806/318.39, Was #12
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.764/320.97, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.797/317.72, Was #10

Langdon's car is late to pull to the head of staging, as , it is reported thatthey were making a last minute blower pulley change in the lanes. Lucas waits patiently.

Looks like it worked, as both cars are clean and straight right on down the track. Langdon jumps up into the current top half of the field in number eight.

Lucas' pass was even better and be moves fives spots up to the new #7 spot. Nice!

Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.021/290.26 mph.
Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.020/288.03 mph.

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Right Lane: Dave Connolly Runs 3.757/326.40, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.791/291.32, Was #10

Pritchett was supposed to be in the left lane, but the team decided to sit this round out after a lot of engine damage earlier.

Great pass for Connelly with his first first full pass through the lights under power. That moves him up three spots to #7.

Dave Connolly's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.134, 660ft-3.018/286.38 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.744/320.66, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.753/319.52, Was #6
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.754/322.73, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.782/315.05, Was #10

Brown has struggled a little too and is uncharacteristically still in the bottom half of the field.

Four strong passes for Force and a great finish. She takes the AJ powered fueler up the ladder three positions to #3.

Brown finally gets the tune up right and moves up into lane choice area with his best ET and a lot better speed.

Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.828 sec., 330ft-2.118, 660ft-2.994/286.62 mph.
Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.124, 660ft-3.008/285.65 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.727/322.58, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.746/324.36, Was #4
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.727/323.66, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.748/322.65, Was #6

Millican uses all of the track getting to the finish line and gets way close to the wall down track. He heros into it and makes his best pass of the weekend to stay #4. All of that driving around, undoubtedly costs some ET!

Crampton was away first and stays in front to the finish line without any drama. He makes his quickest and fastest pass of the weekend and takes over the number three position on speed!

Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.115, 660ft-2.989/288.46 mph.
Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.116, 660ft-2.987/291.38 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 7.366/84.52, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.722/323.66, Was #2
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.703/328.06, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.748/323.97, Was #6

Torrance is away first and flies on down the track to run the eighth quickest pass in history. That's number one with a bullit!

Schumacher was trying to turn the earth off the line and it was just to much for the track. He is up in smoke after a 0.827 sixty foot time.

Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.832 sec., 330ft-2.108, 660ft-2.972/292.14 mph.

5:07 p.m. Steve Faria is on the bump spot at 5.135.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink