Fri, 04 Aug 2017, 22:04 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

KENT, Wash. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA Northwest 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: Clay Millican Runs 4.167/210.11, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.167/210.11, Was #10
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 3.999/283.67, Now #7; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 90 degrees, relative humidity 33 percent, barometer 29.46 inches, adjusted altitude 3,163 feet, track temperature 117 degrees.

Millican is dropping cylinders early and clicks it off, he still improves.

Haddock is making his first pass of the day. He starts dropping cylinders around the 1/8 mile mark, but goes to the number seven spot. Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.206, 660ft-3.172/258.91 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.791/324.75, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.564/168.47, Was #12
Right Lane: Ron Smith No Time, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.917/88.58, Was #16

Torrence launched hard and kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.158, 660ft-3.048/284.81 mph.

Smith with problems after the burnout and is shut off.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.891/288.70, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.112/226.20, Was #11
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.861/279.15, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.825/152.78, Was #15

Pritchett was on a good pass until started mixing up cylinders right at the 1/8 mile mark and she clicked it off. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.143, 660ft-3.060/262.64 mph.

McMillen started to drop cylinders just past the 1/8 mile mark and he clicked it off. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.849 sec., 330ft-2.169, 660ft-3.064/281.48 mph.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.989/301.60, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.021/279.73, Was #12
Right Lane: Troy Coughlin Jr. Runs 3.854/320.43, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.706/160.50, Was #15

Palmer had a cylinder out early, but stayed with it to move up one spot on the ladder. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.884 sec., 330ft-2.249, 660ft-3.193/267.16 mph.

Coughlin Jr. launched hard and kept it hitting on all eight to go to the number five spot. Troy Coughlin Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.209, 660ft-3.106/282.30 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 4.049/246.57, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.013/267.53, Was #13
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.763/157.06, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.658/161.77, Was #15

Reed was on a clean pass, but slowed on the top end. Shawn Reed's incremental times: 60ft-99.999 sec., 330ft-2.210, 660ft-3.164/265.64 mph.

Kalitta was mixing up cylinders right at the hit and clicked it off. It appears he might of used up an engine as the Safety Safari is rolling and the word is there is oil on the track. Doug Kalitta was charged with an oildown, #3 for the season. That will cost 15 points.

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Left Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 3.826/319.29, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.846/312.35, Was #4
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.813/317.42, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.984/267.27, Was #10

Salinas is straight down the groove with another good clean pass. He improves, but stays in the number four spot. Mike Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.848 sec., 330ft-2.166, 660ft-3.068/279.32 mph.

Brown launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number three spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.057/281.42 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.676/158.99, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.845/314.46, Was #5
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 4.109/222.66, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.862/309.98, Was #9

Langdon's car went silent early.

Buff was on a good pass until just past the 1/8 mile mark when it went silent.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.216/197.22, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.792/323.89, Was #2
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.802/322.96, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.862/317.12, Was #8

Force started to lose traction around the 330-foot mark and clicked it off.

Schumacher launched hard and was straight down the groove. He kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number three spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.840 sec., 330ft-2.153, 660ft-3.056/283.07 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink