Fri, 11 Nov 2016, 17:02 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 52nd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Steve Faria Runs 12.527/61.46, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 23 percent, barometer 28.93 inches, adjusted altitude 3,009 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

Faria was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 3.921/303.78, Now #1
Right Lane: Tripp Tatum Runs 6.426/104.79, Now #2

Reed launched hard and kept it hooked up to make his career quickest pass. Shawn Reed's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.226, 660ft-3.140/276.92 mph. Tatum was up in smoke early in the run and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Wayne Newby Runs 5.410/124.56, Now #3
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 3.892/293.03, Now #1

Newby started to lose traction around the 330-foot mark and clicked it off. Lucas was on a good pass and then dropped a cylinder around half track, but legged it on through to make a good pass. Morgan Lucas' incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.177, 660ft-3.106/273.77 mph.

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Left Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.316/187.36, Now #4
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.186/224.88, Now #3

Buff was on a good pass until just past half track when the had a big pop and quick flash of fire. Haddock was on a clean pass, but it went silent on the top end and slowed

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer No Time, Now #9
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 5.617/120.03, Now #6

Palmer's car's rpm went real high and it bang right at the hit on the burnout and he pulled over by the wall. McMillen lost traction early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 4.696/131.97, Now #5
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 5.531/121.35, Now #7

Crampton started to haze the tires before half track and the chutes deployed way before the finish line.Millican was up in smoke y 330 feet and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.772/321.35, Now #1
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.797/314.46, Now #2

This was a great side-by-side drag race. Schumacher launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.136, 660ft-3.026/286.32 mph. Pritchett was right there with Schumacher and right in the lights one of her body panels flew off the car. she goes to the number two spot. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.047/286.44 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.768/324.36, Now #1
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.804/321.96, Now #4

Todd with a great pass kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.829 sec., 330ft-2.139, 660ft-3.028/287.23 mph. Langdon with a real nice pass to start the weekend. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.164, 660ft-3.058/284.62 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 7.428/77.66, Now #15
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.704/138.76, Now #10

Force starts to lose traction around 200 feet and clicked it off. Kalitta started to drop cylinders and then a pop and the chutes deployed and he coasted across the finish line.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 4.336/186.67, Now #10
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.735/322.27, Now #1

Torrence started to haze the tires just past half track and clicked it off. Brown launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.120, 660ft-2.995/289.63 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink