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Sat, 26 Oct 2002, 02:37 AM

Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Darryl Jackman

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 2 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:

Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.784/258.17, Now #13; Best prior run: 10.508/88.26, Was #25
Right Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 5.746/251.81, Now #21; Best prior run: 14.202/51.80, Was #26

It's 10:15 PM and we're just beginning the second round of Top Fuel qualifying. Troxel makes a nice pass but it was just a bit scary at the top end. Troxel's ride started to spin one tire and it drove over very close to the wall. By the way, this is a brand car for the team and this is it's first outing. Chrisman had a very strange header pattern as the car left the line. That part cleared up but his racer just really didn't seem to pull very hard at any point. With rain in the forecast for Saturday everyone would really like to get in tonight just to be safe.

Left Lane: David Baca Runs 4.783/272.01, Now #14; Best prior run: 7.161/111.46, Was #24
Right Lane: Andrew Cowin Runs 4.617/317.87, Now #4; Best prior run: 9.354/82.75, Was #26

Both of these drivers had their problems in the first round and look to make amends here in round two. Baca used up a little bit of lane and shed some parts on the way to the finish lights but he does get in for the moment. Also, he got very close to the centerline after the finish. Cowin really cemented the position of the Gwynn racers all the way to the top four.

Left Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 14.159/83.60, Now #26; Best prior run: 6.495/128.95, Was #25
Right Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 6.354/135.62, Now #24; Best prior run: 7.503/102.70, Was #26

Rhonda smoked the tires almost at the hit and just clicked it off. Hartley got further down range but after getting on and off the pedal, he too shuts off.

Left Lane: Robert Hallock Runs 5.547/180.21, Now #23; Best prior run: 6.400/133.25, Was #25
Right Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 4.853/299.33, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.145/221.27, Was #21

This pair needs to find a way to step on it. Both experienced problems in Round one and both are well outside the field. Nice pass for Strasburg but he falls just short of making the field. Hallock looked pretty good to after half track but the fire went out and he coasted across the stripe.

Left Lane: Craig Smith Runs 11.197/79.48, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.948/287.84, Was #19
Right Lane: Garth Widdison Runs 5.000/279.15, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.135/237.88, Was #21

Smith was close in round one but needs to find a tenth or two this time around. Widdison was close as well and the same advice holds for him. Smith only got about a hundred feet before some kind of trouble befell the car. He clicks it and coasts to a stop past the finish line. Widdison struggled a bit but manages to find a tenth. No enough to make the show. Scott Weis is on the bubble at 4.798.

Left Lane: Jim Head No Time, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.732/291.26, Was #12
Right Lane: Tim Gibson Runs 4.811/251.91, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.093/211.00, Was #21

This is a new ride for Gibson so he made a half pass in the first session. The car is sponsored by Mastercam, the same folks that sponsored his front engined fuel ride. Big boomer for Gibson before half track. That baby REALLY erupted! Look for this one on the ESPN show. The times for Head were way off as Head smoked the tires right after the hit and a 4.846/258.07. Not a chance that was true. Gibson's parts flying must have stopped his clock. Gibson commented after the run that he had turned his racer into an A/Fuel car. Nitro but no supercharger!

Left Lane: Jim Cavalieri Runs 11.679/77.91, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.730/315.93, Was #11
Right Lane: Yuichi Oyama Runs 4.674/302.21, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.912/289.07, Was #19

The fire went out of the Cavalieri car right after the hit. Must have had something to do with the hard right had turn the car made off the line. Oyama runs the quickest pass of his career and makes the top half of the field. No oil so the call is out to fire the next pair.

Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.678/314.83, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.711/308.71, Was #11
Right Lane: Scott Weis Runs 9.750/78.52, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.798/285.05, Was #17

Troxel is now on the bump as this pair pulls in to stage. Weis will remain #17 as he has problems at about 100 feet. Grubnic picks up a bit and is now #9.

Left Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 10.910/79.44, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.674/322.04, Was #7
Right Lane: Darrell Russell Runs 4.628/315.71, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.758/309.98, Was #14

Kalitta has weathered the qualifying storm and remained in the top half. Russell needs to improve on his 4.758 as he's way down the list. Kalitta strikes the tires early and retires fro the evening. Russell got what he wanted as he makes the top half of the field.

Left Lane: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.602/312.35, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.623/316.45, Was #5

Cory Mac hit this one real hard. He moves up one spot in the field. Looks like both Shirley and the Greek are going to bypass this session as we appear to have gone by their qualifying spots.

Left Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 4.873/217.11, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.573/322.34, Was #2
Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.593/313.15, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.633/325.14, Was #7

Bernstein moves higher into the field on this pass. Herbert was side by side until about 900 feet and the fire went out.

Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.581/321.96, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.569/323.81, Was #1
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.628/315.27, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.589/323.27, Was #3

Finally. The final pair of the session. Another side by side pass but Dixon will go to the barn still qualified #1. Schumacher was just a little behind all the way down and remains #3. We end with Melanie Troxel still on the bump and Dixon on the pole. Good night folks. It's almost breakfast time!

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink