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Sat, 10 Nov 2001, 08:07 PM

POMONA 3 - Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Top Fuel at the 37th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals 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:

Left Lane: Rob Passey Runs 11.430/87.87, Now #23; Best prior run: 12.642/76.05, Was #23

4:00 PM We're starting the last session of the year! Passey will get a single for this set. He drops the hammer and goes up in smoke.

Left Lane: Don Garlits Runs 6.151/137.67, Now #21; Best prior run: 9.947/89.94, Was #22

Garlits is down to his last attempt. At Indy, the team pulled one out of the bag at the last minute. No joy for "Big". He has a good .861 in 60 feet and ran well to mid-track, where the car drifted toward the centerline. He lifts and punches it again, but had to finally give it up.

Left Lane: Robert Reehl Runs 7.747/101.79, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.708/307.58, Was #14
Right Lane: Scott Weis Runs 4.644/295.01, Now #11; Best prior run: 8.300/97.05, Was #22

Weis has the potential and shows that he can get it done with a great pass into the number 11 spot. Reehl is in the field and goes up in smoke by the 200 foot mark.

Left Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 5.617/160.19, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.702/312.93, Was #14
Right Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 7.283/109.36, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.573/165.78, Was #21

Another pair with the potential. Hartley needs to move up a spot or two and Hartley is still looking to get in. Hartley has a .847 sixty foot and goes into hugh tire shake. He has to lift at mid-track with tire smoke. He tries to get back with it and gets the car completely sideways. Hartman loses the belt before mid-track.

Left Lane: Tim Gibson Runs 4.626/312.50, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.651/299.80, Was #12
Right Lane: Wyatt Radke Runs 12.046/73.43, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.494/239.48, Was #20

The bump is 4.734. Radke is too agressive and he is up in smoke immediately. Gibson runs it through the lights and moves up a spot.

Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.555/325.06, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.612/317.42, Was #9
Right Lane: Brady Kalivoda Runs 4.670/316.38, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.147/252.19, Was #19

Kalivoda will need to improve on his career best to get into the show. Herbert needs to get into the top half of the field. Herbert has the package and moves way up to the number four spot. Kalivoda won the battle, but may have lost the war. He make a perfect pass to the lights to take the number 14 spot. He runs it well past the lights for a big MPH and then has a very late chute. He only has one chute blossom, as the cars speeds down the track. The car doesn't slowed enough to stay out of the sand trap. He goes in hard and digs in the nose. Hopefully they can get things straightened out enough for tomorrow's eliminations (if he stays in!). Robert Reehl is on the bump with a 4.708.

Left Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 4.618/275.67, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.580/313.95, Was #8
Right Lane: Mark Kinsella Runs 9.045/98.54, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.771/309.91, Was #18

We have been down for a few minutes to clean up the top end. The sun is now below the grandstands and the header flames are very clear. The numbers on this pair tell it all. Kinsella is up in smoke early and Russell runs hard to the 1000 foot and expires an engine. No oil on the track, so we are still racing.

Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.566/329.10, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.569/316.23, Was #7
Right Lane: Andrew Cowin Runs 4.591/319.75, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.622/319.60, Was #10

If things stay the same, this will be a preview of first round tomorrow. Well, it would have been a great race! Both cars run clean and smooth to the finish to improve their numbers. Cowin will move into the number nine spot for now.

Left Lane: Clay Millican Runs 4.680/310.27, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.555/318.92, Was #5
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 13.738/74.45, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.592/320.97, Was #10

IHRA standout Millican has run his career best this weekend. It's a tough field and only a few thousands of a second separate 5 from 10 on the ladder. Scelzi is up in smoke at the hit. Millican makes a good pass, but can't improve.

Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.498/327.59, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.528/324.59, Was #1

Bernstein will get a single in the right lane. Bernstein fires a shot across everyones bow! An almost perfect run from start to finish. .840 for 60, 2.127 for 330, 3.039 and 274.05 at mid-track.

Right Lane: Mike Dunn Runs 4.557/301.33, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.533/329.67, Was #2

Dunn and Bernstein get singles in this set, as we wait for the final in the Budweiser Shootout. Dunn make a good run and clicks it early to stay in the number two spot for now.

Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.514/323.19, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.542/318.24, Was #3
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.557/321.73, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.559/321.81, Was #6

Here's the last pair for tonight in Top Fuel. Dixon is away with a great .833 sixty foot to move into the number two spot. Kalitta is right behind him and improves on his earlier ET. He will stay in the number 6 spot. And that's a wrap for the 2001 qualifying in top fuel.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink