Fri, 26 Feb 2016, 17:54 PM Top Fuel Harley Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel Harley at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 32nd annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals listing lane, rider name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Right Lane: Tii Tharpe Runs 6.504/204.26, Now #1

3:34 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 28.80 inches, adjusted altitude 3,379 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Nice clean pass to start the session.

Tii Tharpe's incremental times: 60ft-1.130 sec., 330ft-2.903, 660ft-4.272/177.60 mph, 1,000ft-5.451.

---

Left Lane: Jay Turner Runs 6.605/188.60, Now #2
Right Lane: Tommy Grimes Runs 9.304/126.02, Now #3

Grimes bike starts to move towards the wall and he leans hard left to try to pull it back. He finally gives it up early.

Nice pass for Turner, just 0.001 slower than Tharp to take #2 for now.

Jay Turner's incremental times: 60ft-1.120 sec., 330ft-2.918, 660ft-4.291/187.99 mph, 1,000ft-5.477.
Tommy Grimes' incremental times: 60ft-1.136 sec., 330ft-3.412, 660ft-5.745/108.32 mph, 1,000ft-7.630.

---

Left Lane: Julian Seeman Runs 6.960/208.97, Now #4
Right Lane: Craig Pelrine Runs 6.901/197.51, Now #3

Lots of smoke from Pelrine's engine, as he stages. No problem though, as the bike runs strong into the new #3 spot.

Clean pass for Seeman too, into #4.

Julian Seeman's incremental times: 60ft-1.206 sec., 330ft-3.099, 660ft-4.579/168.22 mph, 1,000ft-5.855.
Craig Pelrine's incremental times: 60ft-1.208 sec., 330ft-3.098, 660ft-4.553/172.14 mph, 1,000ft-5.791.

---

Left Lane: Mike Pelrine Runs 12.477/119.95, Now #7
Right Lane: Ron Gledhill Runs 7.541/135.40, Now #5

Pelrine strikes the tire right at the green.

Wheels up leave for Gledhill, but he is off the throttle early.

Ron Gledhill's incremental times: 60ft-1.174 sec., 330ft-2.954, 660ft-4.432/153.88 mph, 1,000ft-5.980.

---

Left Lane: Kevin Boyer No Time, Now #9
Right Lane: Len Darnell Runs 6.574/211.33, Now #2

Nice clean and straight pass into the final #2 spot.

Boyer did the burn out and then shut off his bike and was pushed away.

Len Darnell's incremental times: 60ft-1.126 sec., 330ft-2.904, 660ft-4.299/182.21 mph, 1,000ft-5.522.

3:46 p.m. Tii Tharp is number one at 6.504 and Mike Pelrine is on the bump spot at 12.477.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink