Top Fuel Qualifying - Session Three
5:19 p.m Saturday afternoon: With the sun beginning to set, the third and final session of Top Fuel qualifying was underway.

 

Over an hour behind schedule, Jack Harris and Terry Cox heated the tires for their final shot at getting into the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Harris the leave was just what they were looking for.

 

Cox also had an impressive launch - the best yet for the car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a hint of tire smoke as Harris streaked to a nice 5.796 at 233.58 which moved him from #18 all the way up to #3. Cox just missed with a 6.164 at 246.23... by far the best lap so far for the relatively new KB hemi car.

 

 

 

Another surprise DNQ, Jim Murphy and Delaware based Ernie McClain (also not in) were the second pair out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murphy got from A to B with a sub-par 6.092 at 222.60 which was good enough for the #15 spot. McClain improved and ran a career best speed but his 6.238 at 229.76 still fell short of qualifying.

 

 

 

Next out was Adam Sorokin who was safely in the show and Mark Malde who needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat to come back on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malde was shut off after his burnout leaving Sorokin solo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorokin improved slightly with a 5.950 at 256.11. Huge MPH but not the ET the RB team was looking for.

 

 

 

With the sun rapidly setting and the field set, next out was Pete Kaiser and Rick White trying to improve their positions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ground Zero car left just fine. White was a bit soft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaiser ripped off a 5.817 at 250.55 which moved him from #7 to #5. White's 6.023 at 241.41 did not improve on his earlier 5.816 so he remained #4.

 

 

 

The fifth pair to take a shot at the cooler track was Brad Thompson and Rick McGee - two drivers who call Bakersfield their home track. Thompson was trying to back up his Friday 6.67 to establish a new record and McGee was trying to move up from the 14 hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thompson ran low for the round with a 5.771 at 237.46 but did not back up the record. However, it would get him another $500.00 in cash for low ET of the day. McGee's 6.107 at 245.29 was still soft and didn't get out of the #14 spot.

 

 

 

Next out was Troy Green and Bill Dunlap. Green was sitting #3 and Dunlap #17.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the second time this day Dunlap was unable to stage.

 

Dunlap had trouble staging so Green was given a single run and once again the HSMS car (aka Great White) left with authority.

 

The HSMS team was on a serious roll... Green carded another stellar time - 5.783 at 252.38.

 

 

 

The last pair of the last session was Shannon Stewart and Rick Williamson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Williamson ran it out about 1000' and clicked it to a 6.332 at 225.33. Stewart was done by half track and coasted to a 9.017 at 95.57.

 

 

 

One car left and it was Rick Rogers.

 

 

 

 

 

At the hit it looked like Rogers was doing another burnout - run aborted. He would start eliminations in the #14 spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Top Fuel Qualifying Order

1 - Brad Thompson 5.675 @ 250.34 2 - Troy Green 5.767 @ 258.47 3 - Jack Harris 5.796 @ 233.58 4 - Rick White 5.816 @ 250.69 5 - Pete Kaiser 5.817 @ 250.55 6 - Rick Williamson 5.833 @ 246.57 7 - Denver Schutz 5.853 @ 251.74 8 - Howard Haight 5.899 @ 244.43

9 - Shannon Stuart 5.924 @ 234.37 10 - Adam Sorokin 5.950 @ 256.11 11 - Mike McLennan 6.013 @ 232.73 12 - Jason Richey 6.017 @ 250.97 13 - Rick Rogers 6.059 @ 250.97 14 - Rick McGee 6.079 @ 245.29 15 - Jim Murphy 6.092 @ 222.60 16 - Bill Dunlap 6.148 @ 215.10

DNQ

17 - Terry Cox 6.164 @ 246.23 18 - Ernie McClain 6.238 @ 229.76 19 - Mark Malde 6.242 @ 208.52 20 - Dan Rusk 9.271 @ 89.51

 

Session One - Friday

Session Two - Saturday

Round One - Sunday

R2 - Final -Sunday

All the Winners plus Pits N' People

Funny & Other Race Cars

Media Day

 2008 March Meet Cacklefest