Sat, 29 Oct 2016, 16:28 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 16th annual NHRA Toyota 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: Terry Haddock Runs 4.099/286.92, Now #11; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.747/323.43, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.784/325.92, Was #9

Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 39 percent, barometer 27.87 inches, adjusted altitude 4,555 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

Haddock didn't make a pass yesterday and he made nice pass. He was straight down the groove. Millican with a real nice pass as it was hitting on all eight to move into the top half of the show. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.123, 660ft-3.003/286.19 mph.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 6.752/91.43, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.491/171.49, Was #12
Right Lane: Troy Buff No Time, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.633/86.77, Was #18

Buff with problems after the burnout and Miller has Buff shut off the car. The word from the starting line is there was an air pressure issue with the car. Crampton started to rattle the tires by 300 feet and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.344/183.19, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.811/320.36, Was #10
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.951/302.28, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.345/94.75, Was #17

Todd started to lose traction and clicked it off early. Palmer with a real nice pass until right in the lights when the engine let go. The word from the top end is there is oil in Palmer's lane. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.224, 660ft-3.162/270.86 mph.

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Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.456/170.00, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.693/107.52, Was #17
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.767/324.05, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.744/326.00, Was #6

Lucas started to lose traction and clicked it off. Schumacher with another good pass, but will not improve. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.024/286.68 mph.

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Left Lane: Wayne Newby Runs 3.821/318.09, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.891/108.88, Was #16
Right Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 3.952/311.85, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.913/154.88, Was #15

Newby was straight down the groove with a real nice pass to go to the number 11 spot. Wayne Newby's incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.169, 660ft-3.069/283.19 mph. Reed launched hard and kept it hitting on all eight to make his career quickest and fastest pass to move up the ladder a couple spots. Shawn Reed's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.237, 660ft-3.175/271.02 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.923/308.21, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.575/98.38, Was #17
Right Lane: Tripp Tatum Runs 3.795/320.74, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.771/321.27, Was #9

McMillen was on a good looking pass until around half track when it dropped a cylinder, but stayed with it to get in the show. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.203, 660ft-3.136/269.35 mph. Tatum with another good looking pass, but will not improve. Tripp Tatum's incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.161, 660ft-3.047/287.47 mph. As they both cross the the finish line they both make moves toward the centerline and get real close to each other, but they both do a great job driving.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.930/245.94, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.728/323.89, Was #4
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 5.906/84.60, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.728/323.89, Was #5

Torrence started to haze the tires on the top end and clicked it off early. Force with problems early and her chutes deployed around half track.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.790/325.85, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.750/324.90, Was #8
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.760/325.53, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.709/324.20, Was #2

This was good side-by-side drag race...Langdon was straight down the groove with a good looking pass, he will not improve. Langdon with the fourth quickest of the session. Kalitta kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight with the second quickest pass of the round. He will not improve on the ladder. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.147, 660ft-3.022/289.57 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.757/320.97, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.723/324.59, Was #3
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.750/317.19, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.705/326.63, Was #1

This was a great side-by-side drag race to wrap up round three of qualifying. Brown with the third quickest pass of the session. He will not improve on the ladder. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.141, 660ft-3.013/289.20 mph. Pritchett launched hard and kept it hooked up with a great pass. Pritchett with the second quickest pass of the round and she will hold on to the number one spot. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.135, 660ft-3.005/290.57 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink