Sat, 30 Oct 2004, 04:11 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fourth 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: Cory McClenathan Runs 4.568/322.19, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.627/312.13, Was #10
Right Lane: Brandon Bernstein Runs 4.572/323.43, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.619/325.53, Was #7

Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 28.01 inches, adjusted altitude 2,985 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

This is the first pair if the Budweiser Shootout and it counts as third round of qualifying. Cory Mac with a real nice looking pass to move into the top half of the field. Bernstein with his best pass of the weekend, but loses an engine in the lights and that is the first oil down for the Budweiser Team this year.

---

Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 6.712/136.10, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.491/333.00, Was #1
Right Lane: David Grubnic Runs 4.914/295.79, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.506/323.04, Was #3

Kalitta goes up in smoke by 200 feet and pedals it, but can't get it to hook up. Grubnic started to lose traction and pedaled it one time, but then dropped a bunch of cylinders.

---

Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.551/317.87, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.579/317.87, Was #6
Right Lane: Doug Herbert Runs 8.006/89.63, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.607/310.63, Was #8

Herbert is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Schumacher with his quickest pass of the weekend and the quickest pass of the day so far.

---

Left Lane: Larry Dixon Runs 4.567/323.50, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.663/318.84, Was #12
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 7.111/154.55, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.499/330.47, Was #2

Kalitta was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Dixon with his best pass of the weekend to move into the top half of the field.

---

Left Lane: Andrew Cowin Runs 4.640/315.27, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.682/314.97, Was #13
Right Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 13.590/86.29, Now #22; Best prior run: 11.985/98.92, Was #22

Chrisman with violent tire shake both of the rear tires were off the ground at the same time and then he clicked it off. Cowin with his best pass of the weekend, but will stay number 13.

---

Left Lane: Chris Karamesines Runs 5.946/155.29, Now #19; Best prior run: 12.022/74.77, Was #23
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 5.404/244.34, Now #18; Best prior run: 12.456/68.46, Was #24

Karamesines lost the blower belt and coasted on through the 1320. Palmer was mixing up cylinders right from the start and never did get it to hit on all eight. Palmer must of lost an engine because the Safety Safari is rolling.

---

Left Lane: Mike Strasburg Runs 12.007/82.56, Now #23; Best prior run: 10.797/77.09, Was #23
Right Lane: Brady Kalivoda Runs 12.275/78.89, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.619/323.58, Was #10

Both cars are up in smoke at almost the same time.

---

Left Lane: Gary Ormsby Jr Runs 4.981/232.51, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.918/262.18, Was #17
Right Lane: Scott Weis Runs 14.576/79.71, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.735/299.93, Was #15

Weis lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle. Ormsby was trailing a mist of oil down the 1320, and he will have one more shot to get into the show.

---

Left Lane: Joe Hartley Runs 9.636/90.78, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.846/315.71, Was #16

Hartley loses traction early and clicks it off.

---

Left Lane: Rhonda Hartman-Smith Runs 4.670/318.39, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.708/300.20, Was #14

Hartman-Smith with a good looking pass after her big fireball last night.

---

Left Lane: David Baca Runs 8.902/80.32, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.631/319.22, Was #12
Right Lane: Bill Ancona Runs 7.079/115.32, Now #22; Best prior run: 10.075/90.30, Was #22

Baca started to lose traction early and clicked it off. Ancona started to lose traction and pedaled it and the lifted the front end and had to lift.

---

Left Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 6.831/113.99, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.579/317.79, Was #8
Right Lane: Mitch King Runs 4.844/301.87, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.358/136.91, Was #21

King with a good looking pass to get into the show and that will bump out Hartley. Lucas lost traction and clicked it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink