Sat, 09 Feb 2019, 16:19 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 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 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: Antron Brown Runs 8.152/85.43, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.758/328.22, Was #6

Weather conditions: air temperature 60 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 28.89 inches, adjusted altitude 1,720 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Brown with severe tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.711/328.86, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.716/330.07, Was #1
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.696/325.37, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.849/305.01, Was #10

Torrence launched hard and kept it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend, but gets bumped back one spot by Force. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.826 sec., 330ft-2.108, 660ft-2.979/291.19 mph.

Force kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.828 sec., 330ft-2.088, 660ft-2.960/290.69 mph.

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Left Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.738/329.18, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.738/329.99, Was #6
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.748/326.79, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.799/149.91, Was #12

Torrence was on a great pass until right in the lights when the car started dancing around. The car then lost the middle part of the rear wing and he ended up crossing the centerline, but after the finish line and before the 1320 so it will cost him five points. He still matched his qualifying time from yesterday. Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.831 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.008/293.03 mph.

McMillen was straight down the groove with a nice pass in his new car. He moves into the top half of the show. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.130, 660ft-3.010/287.84 mph.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.963/214.59, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.406/96.46, Was #14
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 3.712/327.43, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.789/319.60, Was #11

Pritchett was on a good pass, then had a little tire haze and the engine let go with a big fireball.

Crampton launched hard and was straight down the groove to go to the number three spot. Richie Crampton's incremental times: 60ft-0.827 sec., 330ft-2.108, 660ft-2.978/290.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Steve Faria No Time, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.574/118.60, Was #14
Right Lane: Austin Prock Runs 3.767/324.75, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.771/326.63, Was #11

Faria with problems on the burnout and drives off the top end.

Prock with a good clean pass, straight down the groove. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend, but will stay in the number 11 spot. Austin Prock's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.026/287.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.750/325.69, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.720/328.38, Was #5
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.903/144.40, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.759/320.43, Was #10

Palmer with another good looking pass, straight down the groove, but he will not improve. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.831 sec., 330ft-2.134, 660ft-3.012/289.07 mph.

Millican started to lose traction and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.727/322.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.716/326.87, Was #4
Right Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 3.722/331.12, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.729/324.28, Was #6

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

Kalitta was straight down the groove with another good looking pass, but will not improve. He stays in the number four spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.835 sec., 330ft-2.122, 660ft-2.985/292.46 mph.

Salinas launched hard and kept it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend. He will stay in the number six spot. Mike Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.833 sec., 330ft-2.126, 660ft-2.994/292.27 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink