Sat, 23 Feb 2019, 19:39 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona 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: Steve Torrence Runs 5.682/261.88, Now #12; Best prior run: 7.891/80.07, Was #15
Right Lane: Jim Maroney Runs 4.373/274.22, Now #9; Best prior run: 8.697/53.86, Was #16

Weather conditions: air temperature 59 degrees, relative humidity 33 percent, barometer 28.99 inches, adjusted altitude 1,432 feet, track temperature 83 degrees.

Torrence was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. He pedaled it and got it to hook up. He moves up the ladder three spots.

Maroney was on a good pass, but slowed right in the lights. He still moves up to the number nine spot.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.718/322.34, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.264/107.55, Was #15
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.737/326.95, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.246/97.78, Was #14

Brown launched hard and was on a great pass until right in the lights when he banged the blower with a quick flash. He still goes to the number two spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.125, 660ft-2.985/294.63 mph.

Kalitta was right there with Brown to go to the number five spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.133, 660ft-3.003/290.51 mph.

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Left Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 6.075/101.26, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.069/101.77, Was #15
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.781/325.22, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.534/121.74, Was #13

Crampton was up in smoke by 150 feet and he clicked it off.

Palmer kept it hitting on all eight to move into the top half of the show. Scott Palmer's incremental times: 60ft-0.827 sec., 330ft-2.152, 660ft-3.041/287.41 mph.

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Left Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 3.862/274.55, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.288/185.36, Was #11
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 4.838/188.31, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.976/185.28, Was #13

Salinas was on a good looking pass, but the car started drifting out of the groove and the engine appeared to start eating itself up before he clicked it off. He still moves into the top half of the show. Mike Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.813 sec., 330ft-2.097, 660ft-3.020/266.85 mph.

Force with severe tire shake and she pedaled the car. The car then started dropping cylinders and she shut it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 7.918/78.75, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.259/195.48, Was #11
Right Lane: Austin Prock Runs 6.915/96.74, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.738/328.46, Was #6

Millican shook right at the hit and he clicked it off.

Prock was up in smoke right at the hit and the car was sideways right before he clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.744/282.42, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.968/228.85, Was #9
Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.667/328.46, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.734/321.27, Was #4

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

Pritchett launched hard and was on a great pass until right in the lights when the car went silent. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.826 sec., 330ft-2.110, 660ft-2.970/294.63 mph.

Torrence kept it hitting on all eight and hooked up to go to the number one spot. Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.823 sec., 330ft-2.088, 660ft-2.944/294.31 mph.

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Left Lane: Jordan Vandergriff Runs 8.768/81.29, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.726/321.88, Was #4
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 12.394/76.19, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.695/330.96, Was #2

Vandergriff is up in smoke by 150 feet and he clicked it off.

McMillen is up in smoke right at the hit and he clicked it off.

Billy Torrence holds on to the number one spot for the second time in his career. The first time he won the event.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink