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Thursday's Indy testing notebook

NHRA's Mello Yello Pro hit the track at Lucas Oil Raceway for the second of two days of testing ahead of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Follow along with our live coverage.
23 Aug 2018
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
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For the most part, the NHRA pros that took part in Wednesday’s test session at Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis were able to gain valuable data and refine their tune-ups with a little more than a week before the sport’s marquee event, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Wednesday’s clubhouse leaders included eight-time world champ Tony Schumacher and Brittany Force, who each ran 3.791 in Top Fuel, and Jack Beckman, who had the quickest Funny Car in Indy with a 3.908.

On Thursday, the weather conditions remained cool and dry so it was no surprise that Wednesday’s best numbers were obliterated early in the morning. We expect another full day of on-track action so check back often for our live update from trackside at Lucas Oil Raceway.

Tony Schumacher
It doesn’t take long for yesterday’s best numbers to fall by the wayside. A little after 10 a.m. local time, Tony Schumacher rattles the cornfields surrounding Lucas Oil Raceway with a 3.779 at 329.58.

 

Antron Brown
Brown’s Matco Tools dragster can’t grab a hold of the track surface and he blazes the tires to an 8.840, coasting through the lights.

Clay Millican
Millican is reportedly testing a new Goodyear tire today and he shuts off early to a 4.011 at 229.55 mph.

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Doug Kalitta
Richie Crampton made several runs in Kalitta’s Mac Tools dragster yesterday but Kalitta is here to take over and his first run is a beauty; a 3.789 at only 305.84 mph.

Brittany Force
We have lift off. The Monster Energy car establishes a new benchmark for the test with a stout 3.739, 330.55 run. Force’s incremental times included a .843-second sixty-foot time and a 3.011, 290.88 eighth-mile.

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Ron Capps
The Funny Car “record” also gets nudged early when Ron Capps betters teammate Jack Beckman’s 3.908 from yesterday with a 3.902, 325.77 in his NAPA Dodge. Capps was making a promotional appearance yesterday so his car did not run but it certainly doesn’t appear that the team fell behind the rest of the competition.

Shawn Langdon
The Global Electronic Technology team doesn’t yield much to the competition after Langdon is just a tick slower than Capps with a 3.914, 316.45. At this point, it’s fair to point out that the NHRA Safety Safari has done a fantastic job with track prep since tire smoking runs have been at a minimum over the two-day test.

J.R. Todd
Yesterday, Todd and teammate Langdon were very close in performance each time they ran but today, there is a slight bit of separation after Todd “slows” to a 3.945, 317.57. Still a very respectable run, but not when compared to Langdon and Capps.

John Force
There aren’t many pros who have made as many runs at Lucas Oil Raceway as Force and he’s solid this time with a 3.959, 321.19 from his Peak-backed Camaro.

Tommy Johnson Jr.
It’s been a strong test so far for the Make-A-Wish team and they add to their collection of quick runs with a 3.920, 324.20. We’re seeing more and more teams willing to go to the finish line under power.

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Jonnie Lindberg
Apparently, Lindberg is going to forgo his annual trip home to Sweden for this weekend’s FIA round at Tierp Arena. He’s back for more runs in Jim Head’s Mustang and his first run of the day is a 3.991, 320.74. Given the team’s recent struggles, they’ll take it.

Courtney Force
Shots fired. Force has been the Funny Car performance leader for most of the season and she makes a statement during the Indy test with a 3.884, 327.82 to grab low E.T. from Capps.

Robert Hight
The reigning champ gets into the act with the second 3.8-second run of the day, a 3.898 and the Auto Club Camaro sets top speed of the event with a 331.20 mph top end.

Wayne Newby
The Rapisarda entry hazes the tires just off the starting line and coasts through the finish line.

Richie Crampton
 After pulling double-duty yesterday, Crampton will confine himself to the seat of his Craftsman dragster today and his first run is a tire-shaking shut off.

Tony Schumacher
Yesterday, nitro drivers were confined to the left lane because it was set-up for 1,000-foot racing while the rest of the testing vehicles ran in the right under the 1,320-foot configuration. Since today's test is exclusive to nitro cars, both lanes are prepped for 1,000-feet and Schumacher is the first driver to try the right. Almost predictably, he smokes the tires early.

Richie Crampton
Shake and smoke and an aborted run for the Craftsman team as the track temp begins to climb.

Tony Schumacher
The Army dragster can’t get through the “shake zone” and Schumacher pulls his foot off the throttle early.

Clay Millican
Tire smoke at 100-feet. Have to wonder at this point if crew chiefs are pushing hard to see where the limits are.

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Shawn Langdon
The Global Toyota makes a big twitch at half-track and Langdon is out of the throttle early with a 4.550.

John Force
Nothing much happening here. The Peak Camaro is silent 100-feet into the run.

Matt Hagan
Hagan jumps back in the left lane but still can’t make a full pull. He shuts off early to a 4.465, 199.70.

Doug Kalitta
That’s much better. A solid 3.822 at just 298.14 for the Mac Tools dragster. Interesting to note that Aaron Brooks, recently let go from Cruz Pedregon’s team, has been an interested observer to all of the runs made by Kalittla cars today. Nothing at all confirmed by the team but make of that what you will.

J.R. Todd
Tire shake. Aborted run.

Mike Salinas
The first run of the weekend for Salinas who is desperately trying to claim a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. He opens with a 3.877, 283.19 on an early shut-off.

Antron Brown
Another attempt to negotiate the right lane misses the mark. More tire shake for the three-time champ.

Brittany Force
More of the same. Another aborted run

Ron Capps
Stop us if you’ve heard this before. He’s out of the throttle early, coasting to a 5.778.

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Tommy Johnson Jr.
The air conditions are great but the right lane is being stubborn. Few teams have been able to successfully negotiate that side of the track. Here’s another abbreviated attempt.

Bob Tasca III
Instant tire smoke, this time on the left side of the track.

Courtney Force
Now that’s better. In the right lane, Force runs 4.008, 321.65. Obviously, the Advance crew made the necessary adjustments for today’s conditions.

Jack Beckman
Beckman plans to make two runs today after a successful outing on Wednesday. His first attempt goes nowhere.

Tony Schumacher
Back in the left lane and Sarge gets the job done with a 3.83 at over 325-mph. His car has been solid throughout the two-day test.

Richie Crampton
After two mostly trouble-free days, we have our first major clean-up of the event. Crampton fireballs an engine just before the finish line and we’re going to be down for a few minutes while the Safety Safari crew does their thing.

Clay Millican
In addition to testing tires, the Stringer Performance team is also racing with a fresh front-half on the DSR chassis. This is an early shut-off, but it is a respectable 3.979, 244.96.

Jonnie Lindberg
Tire shake early on. It seems to be a recurring theme today, especially with Funny Car competitors.

Robert Hight
On and off the throttle quickly when the Auto Club car shakes the tires.

Wayne Newby
The Rapisarda team is admittedly a bit behind the eight-ball and this attempt produces a 300-foot shut-off.

Mike Salinas
Mike Salinas is driving Leah Pritchett’s car, which now has the Pennzoil body on it. Salinas is reportedly wanted to try a dragster with a canopy. He makes a solid pass with a 3.860, 320.36 with Pritchett watching from the starting line.

Shawn Langdon
Given the fact that this is the heat of the day, a 3.980, 314.68 has to please the Kalitta Motorsports crew.

Doug Kalitta
Tire shake and done.

John Force
Shake and shut off

Brittany Force
The Monster team can’t duplicate this morning’s amazing 3.73 performance with a 4.358 early shut off.

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J.R. Todd
Tire smoke at the hit

Courtney Force
Force is able to go further than most Funny Cars in this round but she is still off the gas well before the finish line with the scoreboard showing a 4.12.

Bob Tasca III
Tasca was very consistent yesterday but he’s yet to find the combination for today’s conditions. He slows to a 5.881, 114.08.

Tommy Johnson Jr.
A half-track pass and a 5.162, 143.44

Mike Salinas
Back in his own Scrappers dragster, Salinas smokes the tires in the right lane.

Clay Millican
Rattles the tires almost instantly and slows to a 6.419

Robert Hight
A decent launch, but an early shut-off to a 5.402, 133.82

Doug Kalitta
The Mac team can’t go the distance with a 4.750 at just 160.89. All the aborted runs seem frustrating, but as one crew chief noted, “You learn as much from the runs that don’t make it as the ones that do.”

Tommy Johnson Jr.
T.J. has been one of the most active participants in the two-day test but this is not one of his better runs. It’s another shut-off, to a 5.684, 122.29.

Brittany Force
The Monster car hazes the tires downtrack and coasts to the finish with a 4.200

J.R. Todd
Given the amount of tire smoke and shake we’ve seen, a 3.977, 315.56 should be considered one of the most impressive runs of the day.

Jack Beckman
On what figures to be his final round of the week, Beckman smokes the tire early. Again, this is not the same car that the Infinite Hero team tested yesterday. It’s their back-up and it is not expected to run at Indy.

Wayne Newby
The Rapisarda car has a flash of green flame near the finish line indicating a probable head gasket failure.

Matt Hagan
Another solid run that shows a 4.077 at just 272.34 mph. The Mopar team  is expected to make one more run later tonight before next Friday’s opening qualifying session.

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS: THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DRAG RACE