Sat, 27 Feb 2016, 16:21 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 32nd annual CARQUEST Auto Parts 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: Steven Chrisman Runs 5.156/144.35, Now #13; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 21 percent, barometer 28.75 inches, adjusted altitude 3,145 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Chrisman driving the worsham Top Fuel car here and starts mixing up cylinders early and then the engine goes silent around 400 feet and coast on through 1000 feet.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.812/309.98, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.865/302.14, Was #9
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.747/326.00, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.771/323.12, Was #2

Crampton with a real nice pass, his quickest of the weekend to move into the top half of the field. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.152, 660ft-3.045/282.66 mph. Kalitta launched hard and keep it hooked up to make the quickest and fastest pass of the weekend to go to the number one spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.131, 660ft-3.013/289.69 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.784/322.96, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.091/227.69, Was #12
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.884/305.91, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.869/281.19, Was #10

Millican launched hard and keeps it hooked up to go all the way up to the number four spot. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.128, 660ft-3.036/281.95 mph. Buff was on a good looking pass until on the top end when the car pitched the blower belt. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.183, 660ft-3.100/275.11 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.782/321.04, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.800/320.05, Was #6
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 4.062/221.09, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.859/314.31, Was #10

Force with a great looking pass, straight down the groove to move up the ladder a couple spots. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.152, 660ft-3.037/286.86 mph. Pritchett started mixing up cylinders early and the had a bang and quick flash of flame just past half track and she clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.520/173.12, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.787/318.17, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.806/323.12, Was #7

Langdon started to haze the tires just past 330 feet and he clicked it off. Todd started mixing up cylinders right in the lights, but still makes his quickest pass of the weekend to move up the ladder one spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.155, 660ft-3.041/288.09 mph.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.990/276.07, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Dave Connolly Runs 4.064/221.09, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.794/309.34, Was #7

Palmer was on a clean pass until the engine went silent early. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.878 sec., 330ft-2.246, 660ft-3.182/273.39 mph. Connolly was on a good looking pass and then clicked it off early on a planned early shut off pass. Dave Connolly's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.076/256.41 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 4.571/179.21, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.935/286.07, Was #12
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.782/319.07, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.772/320.51, Was #3

McMillen dropped a hole right at the hit and clicked it off just before half track. Schumacher launched hard and makes the third quickest pass of the session. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.839 sec., 330ft-2.141, 660ft-3.031/286.01 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.766/322.96, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.812/322.50, Was #8
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.806/315.56, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.765/319.45, Was #2

torrence launched hard and makes his quickest pass of the weekend and the second quickest of the session. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.024/287.72 mph. Brown with another great pass, but he will not get the No. 1 spot back. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.045/281.30 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink