Sat, 9 Oct 2004, 12:25 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual Lucas Oil 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:

---

Left Lane: Todd Paton Runs 5.115/222.95, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.238/206.83, Was #14
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.549/327.03, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.616/321.65, Was #7

12:05 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 62 degrees, relative humidity 85 percent, barometer 29.57 inches, adjusted altitude 841 feet, track temperature 70 degrees.

Bernstein chattered the tires for the first 100 feet or so but drove through it to move up four spots in the order. Paton had his quickest pass of the weekend but it had no effect on his spot in the order.

---

Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 10.516/95.54, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.661/304.74, Was #11
Right Lane: Scott Weis Runs 4.712/308.92, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.665/318.62, Was #12

Herbert smoked the tires as soon as he launched and backed off the throttle. Weis went down the middle of his lane but was not as quick as yesterday so he does not move in the qualifying order.

---

Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 4.640/299.46, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.653/294.95, Was #9
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.698/322.50, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.701/321.58, Was #13

McClenathan shook the tires for the first several hundred feet but drove through it for his best run of the weekend. It had no effect on his spot in the order. Vandergriff moved up one spot with his best lap of the weekend so far.

---

Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.597/317.49, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.581/318.47, Was #7
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 4.692/298.14, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.559/322.81, Was #5

Both drivers had some tire shake, but both drove through it. Dixon lost some cylinders on his way down the track, Lucas had a small flash of flame as he crossed the finish line.

---

Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 4.545/316.45, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.559/321.65, Was #6
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.481/326.16, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.554/326.08, Was #4

Grubnic had a really good run to take over the top spot in the qualifying order for now. Kalitta also had a good lap and he moved up two spots, into the number four positions.

---

Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.460/330.88, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.498/326.95, Was #2
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.516/319.60, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.528/323.89, Was #3

Kalitta and Schumacher were in the top two spots until Grubnic made his lap in the previous pair. Kalitta didn't waste any time getting back on top with the seventh-quickest Top Fuel run ever and the quickest pass under the 85-percent nitro rule. Schumacher's car smoked at the end of the track and he'll stay in the third spot in the order.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink