Fri, 15 Nov 2019, 17:03 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, 55th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Jim Maroney Runs 4.367/190.81, Now #1
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 6.321/97.67, Now #2

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 28.91 inches, adjusted altitude 2,485 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Maroney clicked it off early.

McClenathan was on a planned early shut off run.

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Left Lane: Justin Ashley Runs 3.777/317.49, Now #1
Right Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 5.622/119.06, Now #3

Ashley kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight with a goo clean pass to start the weekend. Justin Ashley's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.146, 660ft-3.030/287.72 mph.

Reed started to lose traction early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Jordan Vandergriff Runs 4.142/206.61, Now #3
Right Lane: Cameron Ferre Runs 3.955/301.81, Now #2

Vandergriff started to lose traction on the top end and clicked it off.

Ferre was straight down the groove with a good clean pass to start the weekend. Cameron Ferre's incremental times: 60ft-0.865 sec., 330ft-2.220, 660ft-3.162/269.29 mph.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 6.716/102.91, Now #7
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 7.056/88.86, Now #8

Both cars lose traction early and shut it off.

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Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 7.351/83.83, Now #10
Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 4.801/154.00, Now #5

Millican starts to smoke the tires early and clicked it off.

Crampton started to lose traction on the top end and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 5.007/144.60, Now #7
Right Lane: Mike Salinas Runs 3.699/327.11, Now #1

Brown was up in smoke early and clicked it off.

Alan Johnson makes the last minute adjustments and they appear to be the right changes...Salinas launched hard and kept the big Goodyears stuck and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Mike Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.819 sec., 330ft-2.093, 660ft-2.966/292.08 mph.

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Left Lane: Austin Prock Runs 6.636/91.89, Now #11
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 6.492/100.39, Now #10

Both cars lose traction early and click it off.

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Left Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.708/330.63, Now #2
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 5.163/133.96, Now #9

Torrence launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number two spot. Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.826 sec., 330ft-2.103, 660ft-2.978/290.51 mph.

Kalitta lost traction and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.726/331.69, Now #3
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.985/223.95, Now #6

Force is straight down the groove wit a good pass to go to the number three spot. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.123, 660ft-2.998/291.45 mph.

Torrence with a clean pass to get in the top half of the show. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.830 sec., 330ft-2.106, 660ft-3.011/262.03 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink