Sat, 27 Feb 2016, 18:00 PM Top Fuel Harley Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 3 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

---

Left Lane: Mike Pelrine Runs 11.490/89.85, Now #9; Best prior run: 8.591/114.29, Was #9
Right Lane: Ron Gledhill Runs 6.588/195.59, Now #5; Best prior run: 7.541/135.40, Was #8

3:41 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 28.70 inches, adjusted altitude 3,382 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

Pelrine's bike goes right towards the wall at the green and he has to work hard to keep it clean.

Nice pass for Gledhill. He finally gets a representative pass to move three spots up the ladder. Off the bump to number five.

Ron Gledhill's incremental times: 60ft-1.131 sec., 330ft-2.928, 660ft-4.305/180.60 mph, 1,000ft-5.500.

---

Right Lane: Len Darnell No Time, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.574/211.33, Was #4

Darnell went bowling for reflectors last session and picked up a spare. The bike leaves hard at the green and then the engine goes silent. He coast on down and stops on the track before the finish line.

Seeman' bike is lazy off the line and struggles down track. He clicks it early.

---

Left Lane: Jay Turner Runs 6.355/212.56, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.338/223.99, Was #1
Right Lane: Craig Pelrine Runs 8.614/107.16, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.792/205.72, Was #6

Tommy Grimes is on the bump spot at 6.965.

Turner hikes the front wheel at the green and keeps it flying almost to half track. Its another strong pass, but he may have clicked it early, looking at the speed.

Pelrine slows off the line and coasts.

Jay Turner's incremental times: 60ft-1.093 sec., 330ft-2.826, 660ft-4.162/208.23 mph, 1,000ft-5.326.

---

Left Lane: Kevin Boyer Runs 8.589/105.04, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.544/196.53, Was #3
Right Lane: Tii Tharpe Runs 6.524/239.19, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.462/210.41, Was #2

Strong pass for Tharp with a huge speed to stay number two. The old speed record was 234.66!

Boyer was away first and had better numbers to after the 330 lights. The front end comes down after that and the bike slows.

Kevin Boyer's incremental times: 60ft-1.107 sec., 330ft-2.849, 660ft-4.581/124.98 mph, 1,000ft-6.559.
Tii Tharpe's incremental times: 60ft-1.126 sec., 330ft-2.898, 660ft-4.290/175.00 mph, 1,000ft-5.489.

3:55 p.m. Jay Turner is number one at 6.338 and Tommy Grimes is on the bump spot at 6.965.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink