Fri, 08 Feb 2019, 16:45 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, 59th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Austin Prock Runs 3.784/323.04, Now #1
Right Lane: Steve Faria No Time, Now #2

Weather conditions: air temperature 62 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 28.92 inches, adjusted altitude 1,704 feet, track temperature 91 degrees.

Prock making his Top Fuel debut...he launches hard and kept it hooked to make a great pass. Austin Prock's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.040/288.21 mph.

Faria couldn't get the car to start and is pushed back.

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Left Lane: Cameron Ferre Runs 4.247/196.85, Now #3
Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.738/329.99, Now #1

Ferre was on a good pass, but he clicked it off early.

Torrence launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot with a great pass.

Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.845 sec., 330ft-2.135, 660ft-3.008/291.38 mph.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.789/319.60, Now #3
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.809/324.44, Now #4

This was a great side-by-side drag race.

Crampton is straight down the groove to the number three spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.147, 660ft-3.035/284.33 mph.

Palmer is right there with him with a good clean pass.

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Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.743/326.63, Now #2

McMillen was scheduled to line up against Kalitta.

Kalitta launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number two spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.133, 660ft-3.007/289.88 mph.

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Left Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 6.842/83.51, Now #8
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.758/328.22, Now #3

Salinas started to rattle the tires around 150 feet and clicked it off.

Brown launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number three spot. The car was real loose on the top end. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.854 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.026/292.14 mph.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.849/305.01, Now #7
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 7.912/85.25, Now #10

Force dropped a cylinder early, but she stayed with it. The car is slowing on the top end and the word from the top end is there is oil on the track. Brittany Force was charged with an oildown, #1 for the season. That will cost 5 points.

Pritchett shook right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.010/227.88, Now #9
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.716/330.07, Now #1

Millican is on a good pass, but shuts off early.

Torrence launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number one spot with a great pass. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.826 sec., 330ft-2.113, 660ft-2.988/291.45 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink