Sat, 26 Oct 2002, 06:27 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA 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: Chris Karamesines Runs 9.990/89.46, Now #22; Best prior run: 5.429/222.80, Was #22
Right Lane: Shirley Muldowney Runs 8.832/96.34, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.688/301.54, Was #11

2:10 PM Both drivers had severe tire shake on the launch. Karamesines tried to pedal through it without success, and Muldowney was off the throttle by the 200-foot mark.

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Left Lane: John Smith Runs 4.671/298.01, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.694/315.27, Was #12
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 8.888/87.78, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.732/291.26, Was #14

Head carried the front wheels about a foot off the ground for the first 150 feet. He was off the throttle shortly after setting the front tires down.

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Left Lane: Scott Weis Runs 4.716/307.79, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.798/285.05, Was #17
Right Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 4.718/313.07, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.495/128.95, Was #26

Both drivers move into the field for now on a good looking side-by-side pass. Jim Head is now on the bump spot with a 4.732-second elapsed time.

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Left Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 4.899/308.78, Now #21; Best prior run: 6.354/135.62, Was #26
Right Lane: Jim Cavalieri Runs 4.793/306.19, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.730/315.93, Was #15

Hartley had to pedal the car at about 250 feet and was dropping cylinders at the finish line.

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Left Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 5.347/269.46, Now #24; Best prior run: 5.746/251.81, Was #26
Right Lane: Craig Smith Runs 8.774/120.61, Now #22; Best prior run: 4.948/287.84, Was #22

Smith left very soft, the car never getting up to full power. Chrisman's engine didn't sound like it was running right for most of this run.

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Left Lane: Garth Widdison Runs 5.062/220.66, Now #23; Best prior run: 5.000/279.15, Was #23
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 4.656/320.43, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.674/322.04, Was #9

No visible problems for either driver here, though Widdison was slowing on the top end of the track.

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Left Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 4.839/298.21, Now #20; Best prior run: 4.853/299.33, Was #20
Right Lane: Robert Hallock Runs 4.858/291.19, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.547/180.21, Was #26

Career best ET's for both drivers, yet neither time is low enough to bump into the field.

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Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 6.753/118.78, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.573/322.34, Was #2

Herbert left hard, his 60-foot time was 0.883 seconds, but he pitched the blower belt at 330 feet.

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Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.710/298.21, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.784/258.17, Was #16

Melanie did what she wanted here getting off the bubble and bumping Jim Head.

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Left Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 4.677/313.51, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.628/315.71, Was #7
Right Lane: David Baca Runs 4.733/315.05, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.783/272.01, Was #15

Career best elapsed time and speed for Baca, yet still not quite enough to make the field.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 9.385/103.72, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.589/323.27, Was #3
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.684/300.46, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.678/314.83, Was #11

Schumacher struck the tires at about 200 feet and he shut it off.

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Left Lane: Andrew Cowin Runs 4.601/318.32, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.617/317.87, Was #6
Right Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.653/304.67, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.602/312.35, Was #5

A strong and straight pass for both drivers. They swap places on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.577/321.50, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.593/313.15, Was #4
Right Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.588/324.20, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.569/323.81, Was #1

A perfect ending for this round of qualifying, both drivers in the 4.5's. Dixon holds on to the number one position and Cavalieri is on the bump going into the final qualifying round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink