Fri, 09 Nov 2018, 18:31 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, 54th 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: Cameron Ferre Runs 4.946/144.75, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 9 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 2,868 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Ferre is in Terry Haddock's car this is the second time he has been in a Top Fueler on the NHRA tour. The first time was Charlotte 2 of 2016. The car is dropping cylinders right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Right Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 3.858/312.35, Now #1

Reed was on a good pass until right in the lights when it started dropping cylinders. Shawn Reed's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.179, 660ft-3.088/277.43 mph.

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Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.801/322.04, Now #1

Torrence with a good looking pass to start the weekend. Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.054/283.85 mph.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 3.808/323.35, Now #2
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 4.908/146.05, Now #4

alexander is straight down the groove with a good clean pass to go to the number two spot. Blake Alexander's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.176, 660ft-3.066/286.56 mph.

Crampton chattered the tires and shut off by 330 feet.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.816/322.81, Now #3
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 6.656/102.53, Now #7

Palmer with a good looking pass, he was a little loose right in the lights. He goes to the number three spot. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.165, 660ft-3.068/283.01 mph.

McMillen started to lose traction right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 5.352/125.33, Now #8
Right Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 4.211/208.20, Now #5

Kalitta was dropping cylinders early and he clicked it off.

Salinas also was dropping cylinders and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.791/325.37, Now #1
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.384/183.77, Now #7

Brown launched hard and kept it hooked up and he goes to the number one spot with a great pass. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.156, 660ft-3.049/286.44 mph.

Force overpowers the track early and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.774/312.64, Now #1
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.792/326.24, Now #3

Pritchett launched hard and was on a great pass until right in the lights when it nosed over, but she still goes to the number one spot. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.024/288.58 mph.

Schumacher with his last race with the Army. He is straight down the groove with the number three spot. Tony Schumacher's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.052/286.38 mph.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.819/320.97, Now #7
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 9.416/78.94, Now #15

Millican with a good looking pass to start the weekend. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.148, 660ft-3.067/280.49 mph.

Torrence unveiled his Mello Yello championship look dragster. Torrence is up in smoke right at the hit.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink