Fri, 10 Feb 2017, 16:18 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, 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Troy Coughlin Jr. Runs 3.730/322.81, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 60 percent, barometer 29.81 inches, adjusted altitude 2,542 feet, track temperature 76 degrees.

Coughlin Jr. is making his Top Fuel debut here. He launched hard and kept it hitting on all eight and hooked up with a great pass to start his Top Fuel career

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Left Lane: Steve Faria Runs 11.049/68.68, Now #3
Right Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 6.585/112.67, Now #2

Faria is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Chrisman started to lose traction by 100 feet and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 10.061/45.19, Now #4
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.913/309.98, Now #2

Reed started to shake and drop cylinders right at the hit and he pedaled it and apparently banged it because his chute deployed. Buff was straight down the groove with a good clean pass to go to the number two spot. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.189, 660ft-3.135/270.86 mph.

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Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.853/321.50, Now #2

Palmer planning on running a full season this year and he starts with a real nice looking pass. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.878 sec., 330ft-2.203, 660ft-3.103/282.66 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.824/322.88, Now #2
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 6.129/100.05, Now #5

McMillen has a new DSR race car and this is the first pass. He launched hard and it was hitting on all eight to go to the number two spot. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.178, 660ft-3.077/283.07 mph. Millican starts to lose traction and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.729/325.06, Now #1
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 8.835/67.47, Now #8

Schumacher with a great looking pass to go to the number one spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.122, 660ft-2.992/291.07 mph. Pritchett starts to lose traction right at the hit and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.706/322.42, Now #1
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 6.796/91.62, Now #9

Force launched hard and kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.821 sec., 330ft-2.086, 660ft-2.960/293.47 mph. Torrence starts to lose traction and pedals it, but can't get it to hook up.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.697/325.69, Now #1
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.732/323.27, Now #5

Kalitta with a great pass, he has it hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. This is his career quickest pass for Kalitta. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.103, 660ft-2.963/293.28 mph. Brown with a good clean pass to go to the number five spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.130, 660ft-2.993/291.63 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink