Gainesville Gators TopFuel Qual

1997 NHRA Gatornationals Top Fuel Qualifying.

>From the Prodigy Auto Racing BB & Newsgroup.

Friday-Session 1 - Top Fuel               -Left lane first- 
1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana         
                                                            
Number    Driver               R/T           E.T.   Speed   
T/F  300  JACK OSTRANDER                     5.445  193.46* 
T/F  747  RHONDA HARTMAN                    14.236   66.53  
   Hartman up in smoke immediately and Jack with a little   
   flame at the top end                                     
T/F  503  TOMMY JOHNSON, JR.                11.091   77.40* 
T/F  303  PAT DAKIN                         11.843   77.51  
   Nothing for two on this run as both cars smoked the      
   tires at the launch                                      
T/F  223  MIKE SMITH                         5.902  140.36  
T/F    8  SHELLY ANDERSON                    4.710  309.81  
   Mike popped the blower at 1000'                          
   .                                                        
T/F    1  KENNY BERNSTEIN                    9.560   84.88  
T/F  777  MARSHALL TOPPING                   8.712   82.85  
   Both cars smoked em at 300...                            
   .                                                        
T/F    9  CONNIE KALITTA                     4.754  299.70* 
T/F   10  EDDIE HILL                         5.004  269.70  
   Eddie puked the engine through the finish lights         
   .                                                        
T/F  356  TONY SCHUMACHER                    4.704  301.20* 
T/F   11  DOUG HERBERT                       7.491  104.98  
   Herbert coughed and flamed throug the lights as he       
   burned his first engine of the event                     
T/F   12  BOB VANDERGRIFF                    4.811  294.98  
T/F  888  JIM HEAD                           4.749  304.36  
   Nice run by Jim Head                                     
   .                                                        
T/F   17  BRUCE SARVER                       4.838  303.33  
T/F    6  JOE AMATO                          4.652  313.80  
   Amato shows how to run a Drag race !!                    
   .                                                        
T/F    5  GARY SCELZI                       11.329   71.43  
T/F    4  LARRY DIXON                        9.536   86.03  
   Looked like smoke signals as both cars chattered         
   the tires and went up in smoke                           
T/F   18  CRISTEN POWELL                     4.815  290.79* 
T/F    3  CORY McCLENATHAN                   7.143  109.58  
   Cory - on, off, on, off, off off....                     
   .                                                        
T/F    2  SCOTT KALITTA                     10.446   80.63* 
      single                                                
   LaHaie pushed the stop-button as soon as Scott hit       
   the throttle and he coasted down the track               
T/F    7  MIKE DUNN                          4.740  306.85* 
      single                                                
   This run takes the team to Number 4 on this qualifying   
   round                                                    

Top Fuel Qualifying List After Session 1, Friday 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Pos Name Number E.T. Speed When 1 JOE AMATO T/F 6 4.652 313.80 Fri1 2 TONY SCHUMACHER T/F 356 4.704 301.20 Fri1 3 SHELLY ANDERSON T/F 8 4.710 309.81 Fri1 4 MIKE DUNN T/F 7 4.740 306.85 Fri1 5 JIM HEAD T/F 888 4.749 304.36 Fri1 6 CONNIE KALITTA T/F 9 4.754 299.70 Fri1 7 BOB VANDERGRIFF T/F 12 4.811 294.98 Fri1 8 CRISTEN POWELL T/F 18 4.815 290.79 Fri1 9 BRUCE SARVER T/F 17 4.838 303.33 Fri1 10 EDDIE HILL T/F 10 5.004 269.70 Fri1 11 JACK OSTRANDER T/F 300 5.445 193.46 Fri1 12 MIKE SMITH T/F 223 5.902 140.36 Fri1 13 CORY McCLENATHAN T/F 3 7.143 109.58 Fri1 14 DOUG HERBERT T/F 11 7.491 104.98 Fri1 15 MARSHALL TOPPING T/F 777 8.712 82.85 Fri1 16 LARRY DIXON T/F 4 9.536 86.03 Fri1 17 KENNY BERNSTEIN T/F 1 9.560 84.88 Fri1 18 SCOTT KALITTA T/F 2 10.446 80.63 Fri1 19 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. T/F 503 11.091 77.40 Fri1 20 GARY SCELZI T/F 5 11.329 71.43 Fri1 21 PAT DAKIN T/F 303 11.843 77.51 Fri1 22 RHONDA HARTMAN T/F 747 14.236 66.53 Fri1

Friday-Session 2 - Top Fuel -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed T/F 8 SHELLY ANDERSON 4.792 297.52 T/F 1 KENNY BERNSTEIN 4.713 309.27 KB Burpped the throttle a bit at 100 feet but drove to number 4 spot, Shelly keeps number 3 for now T/F 777 MARSHALL TOPPING 4.972 280.19* T/F 9 CONNIE KALITTA 14.278 62.64 Conrad boils the tires as he launches and Marshall advances up the ladder a few spots T/F 10 EDDIE HILL 10.611 68.09 T/F 356 TONY SCHUMACHER 6.317 128.07 Both cars started to loose traction and shut off before losing the engines T/F 11 DOUG HERBERT 10.202 83.30 T/F 12 BOB VANDERGRIFF 4.727 300.90 Herbert shut it off at 330 and Vandergriff advances a few spots T/F 888 JIM HEAD 7.024 114.57 T/F 17 BRUCE SARVER 4.750 309.59 . . T/F 6 JOE AMATO 4.621 313.15* T/F 5 GARY SCELZI 5.024 237.21 Joe runs back-to-back 313's, Scelzi boils the engine through the finish line but grabs spot 13 for now T/F 4 LARRY DIXON 5.032 258.02* T/F 18 CRISTEN POWELL 12.897 69.95 Larry makes position 14 for now, the 17 year old Christen Powell smokes the tires and shuts off T/F 3 CORY McCLENATHAN 4.711 304.05* T/F 2 SCOTT KALITTA 4.836 272.23 Both cars bump others out of the show as Cory moves from not qualified to number 4, Scott at no. 12 T/F 747 RHONDA HARTMAN 13.450 75.21 T/F 7 MIKE DUNN 4.759 296.15 Rhonda lays down to much clutch and leaves tire smoke as Mike Dunn drives a nice race T/F 303 PAT DAKIN 4.930 286.98* T/F 503 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. 4.920 241.54 Tommy loses some cylinders through the finish line but it was a nice pair of 4.9's from both cars

Top Fuel Qualifying List After Session 2, Friday 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Pos Name Number E.T. Speed When 1 JOE AMATO T/F 6 4.621 313.15 Fri2 2 TONY SCHUMACHER T/F 356 4.704 301.20 Fri1 3 SHELLY ANDERSON T/F 8 4.710 309.81 Fri1 4 CORY McCLENATHAN T/F 3 4.711 304.05 Fri2 5 KENNY BERNSTEIN T/F 1 4.713 309.27 Fri2 6 BOB VANDERGRIFF T/F 12 4.727 300.90 Fri2 7 MIKE DUNN T/F 7 4.740 306.85 Fri1 8 JIM HEAD T/F 888 4.749 304.36 Fri1 9 BRUCE SARVER T/F 17 4.750 309.59 Fri2 10 CONNIE KALITTA T/F 9 4.754 299.70 Fri1 11 CRISTEN POWELL T/F 18 4.815 290.79 Fri1 12 SCOTT KALITTA T/F 2 4.836 272.23 Fri2 13 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. T/F 503 4.920 241.54 Fri2 14 PAT DAKIN T/F 303 4.930 286.98 Fri2 15 MARSHALL TOPPING T/F 777 4.972 280.19 Fri2 16 EDDIE HILL T/F 10 5.004 269.70 Fri1 17 GARY SCELZI T/F 5 5.024 237.21 Fri2 18 LARRY DIXON T/F 4 5.032 258.02 Fri2 19 JACK OSTRANDER T/F 300 5.445 193.46 Fri1 20 MIKE SMITH T/F 223 5.902 140.36 Fri1 21 DOUG HERBERT T/F 11 7.491 104.98 Fri1 22 RHONDA HARTMAN T/F 747 13.450 75.21 Fri2

Saturday-Session 1 - Top Fuel -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed T/F 11 DOUG HERBERT 8.376 0.00 T/F 9 CONNIE KALITTA 4.887 282.39 Herbert bois the tires at 330' and Connie didn't improve over the number 10 spot T/F 888 JIM HEAD 4.856 286.98 T/F 356 TONY SCHUMACHER 4.773 302.72 Nice strong run for both cars . T/F 6 JOE AMATO 4.626 311.85* T/F 12 BOB VANDERGRIFF 13.036 73.20 Joe sets the standard for consistency as he retains the number one spot. Vandergriff up in smoke T/F 4 LARRY DIXON 4.853 289.76 T/F 17 BRUCE SARVER 4.797 306.95 Dixon expired his engine at the finish . T/F 3 CORY McCLENATHAN 13.023 67.85 T/F 5 GARY SCELZI 4.940 285.44 Cory smoked 'em and shut off, Gary lost the engine through the finish line. A brutal session so far T/F 747 RHONDA HARTMAN 4.889 284.00* T/F 18 CRISTEN POWELL 4.937 264.93 . . T/F 303 PAT DAKIN 4.799 298.60 T/F 2 SCOTT KALITTA 4.734 303.95 Major improvements for both drivers. . T/F 8 SHELLY ANDERSON 5.015 228.42 T/F 7 MIKE DUNN 4.738 303.95 Shelly lost the left bank of cylinders as Mike Dunn improves his time but not his position T/F 777 MARSHALL TOPPING 5.374 N/A T/F 300 JACK OSTRANDER 5.211 226.92 Both cars fireball their engines, the second for Ostrander - The Gators prove its a tough race T/F 10 EDDIE HILL 4.812 280.72* T/F 503 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. 4.860 287.90 Another pair of blown engines and yet more down time for track clean up. Rhonda Hartman is on the bump single T/F 223 MIKE SMITH 7.897 103.90 The brother of the husband of Rhonda Hartman blew the right side cylinders and shut it off. single T/F 1 KENNY BERNSTEIN 4.715 312.82 Peddling through tire shake into a 4.71 shows that he is a true driver with a Strong car

Top Fuel Qualifying List After Session 1, Saturday 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Pos Name Number E.T. Speed When 1 JOE AMATO T/F 6 4.621 313.15 Fri2 2 TONY SCHUMACHER T/F 356 4.704 301.20 Fri1 3 SHELLY ANDERSON T/F 8 4.710 309.81 Fri1 4 CORY McCLENATHAN T/F 3 4.711 304.05 Fri2 5 KENNY BERNSTEIN T/F 1 4.713 309.27 Fri2 6 BOB VANDERGRIFF T/F 12 4.727 300.90 Fri2 7 SCOTT KALITTA T/F 2 4.734 303.95 Sat1 8 MIKE DUNN T/F 7 4.738 303.95 Sat1 9 JIM HEAD T/F 888 4.749 304.36 Fri1 10 BRUCE SARVER T/F 17 4.750 309.59 Fri2 11 CONNIE KALITTA T/F 9 4.754 299.70 Fri1 12 PAT DAKIN T/F 303 4.799 298.60 Sat1 13 EDDIE HILL T/F 10 4.812 280.72 Sat1 14 CRISTEN POWELL T/F 18 4.815 290.79 Fri1 15 LARRY DIXON T/F 4 4.853 289.76 Sat1 16 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. T/F 503 4.860 287.90 Sat1 17 RHONDA HARTMAN T/F 747 4.889 284.00 Sat1 18 GARY SCELZI T/F 5 4.940 285.44 Sat1 19 MARSHALL TOPPING T/F 777 4.972 280.19 Fri2 20 JACK OSTRANDER T/F 300 5.211 226.92 Sat1 21 MIKE SMITH T/F 223 5.902 140.36 Fri1 22 DOUG HERBERT T/F 11 7.491 104.98 Fri1

Saturday-Session 2 - Top Fuel -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed T/F 12 BOB VANDERGRIFF 4.757 297.42* T/F 4 LARRY DIXON N/A N/A Dixon banged the blower during his burnout and didn't get a run. Vandergriff didn't improve T/F 17 BRUCE SARVER 5.836 161.37 T/F 3 CORY McCLENATHAN 4.628 311.09 Cory moves into number 2 position as Bruce Sarver hazes the tires and retains position 10 T/F 5 GARY SCELZI 4.667 309.38* T/F 747 RHONDA HARTMAN 5.399 184.42 Even though Rhonda ran the quickest in her career this morning she didn't qualify for the Gators. Scelzi No. 3 T/F 18 CRISTEN POWELL 4.986 236.28 T/F 8 SHELLY ANDERSON 4.814 294.98 Neither drivers improve, Cristen's car made a move towards the wall but the drove it to the finish single T/F 777 MARSHALL TOPPING 4.949 275.14 Toppings car went out of control at the finish line and went over the rail in flames T/F 7 MIKE DUNN 9.172 78.22 T/F 10 EDDIE HILL 5.298 191.28 Neither car improves, Dunn up in smoke and Hill shuts it off at 1000 feet. T/F 503 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. 4.798 287.44* T/F 11 DOUG HERBERT 9.192 95.16 TJ moves into number 13, Herbert lost his clutch at. 100 feet in a hail of sparks. T/F 1 KENNY BERNSTEIN 4.686 257.87* T/F 888 JIM HEAD 10.324 80.93 KB moves into number 4, he shut this run off early and still pulls a big number with the ET T/F 9 CONNIE KALITTA 4.704 304.36 T/F 6 JOE AMATO 4.597 316.12 Amato shows the crowd what quick and fast is as he rocketed to the 4.597 316.12 T/F 356 TONY SCHUMACHER 13.495 51.34* single Tony lost the clutch as he launches and retains the number 7 spot Top Fuel Qualifying List After Session 2, Saturday 1997 NHRA MAC Tools Gatornationals by Joe and Diana Pos Name Number E.T. Speed When 1 JOE AMATO T/F 6 4.597 316.12 Sat1 2 CORY McCLENATHAN T/F 3 4.628 311.09 Sat1 3 GARY SCELZI T/F 5 4.667 309.38 Sat1 4 KENNY BERNSTEIN T/F 1 4.686 257.87 Sat1 5 SCOTT KALITTA F 2 4.689 307.69 Sat1 6 CONNIE KALITTA T/F 9 4.704 304.36 Sat1 7 TONY SCHUMACHER T/F 356 4.704 301.20 Fri1 8 SHELLY ANDERSON T/F 8 4.710 309.81 Fri1 9 BOB VANDERGRIFF T/F 12 4.727 300.90 Fri2 10 MIKE DUNN T/F 7 4.738 303.95 Sat1 11 JIM HEAD T/F 888 4.749 304.36 Fri1 12 BRUCE SARVER T/F 17 4.750 309.59 Fri2 13 TOMMY JOHNSON, JR. T/F 503 4.798 287.44 Sat1 14 PAT DAKIN T/F 303 4.799 298.60 Sat1 15 EDDIE HILL T/F 10 4.812 280.72 Sat1 16 CRISTEN POWELL T/F 18 4.815 290.79 Fri1 17 LARRY DIXON T/F 4 4.853 289.76 Sat1 18 RHONDA HARTMAN T/F 747 4.889 284.00 Sat1 19 MARSHALL TOPPING T/F 777 4.949 275.14 Sat1 20 JACK OSTRANDER T/F 300 5.211 226.92 Sat1 21 MIKE SMITH T/F 223 5.902 140.36 Fri1 22 DOUG HERBERT T/F 11 7.491 104.98 Fri1