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CLERMONT, Ind. -- Clutch problems Saturday at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis prevented Top Fuel rookie sensation J.R. Todd from improving his performance in the second and third qualifying runs for Monday's 52nd Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Todd's elapsed time of 4.598 seconds at 322.58 mph from Friday night left him a precarious 16th going into Sunday's final two sessions.
Todd said his first Saturday run of 4.614 seconds at 317.19 mph could have been better but a clutch malfunction slowed him at the finish line. And tire smoke almost as soon as Todd mashed the throttle on the second run led him to believe the clutch was a fault again.
"That was definitely a disappointing run," said Todd, who is competing in his first U.S. Nationals as a Top Fuel driver. "I was ready to stand on it. I hope the weather holds tomorrow and we get in our two qualifying runs. We had a clutch problem on our first run and it could've been a clutch problem again on the last one."
SKULL Shine Top Fuel Dragster's Best Run Is 4.598 Seconds
CLERMONT, Ind. -- Clutch problems Saturday at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis prevented Top Fuel rookie sensation J.R. Todd from improving his performance in the second and third qualifying runs for Monday's 52nd Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Todd's elapsed time of 4.598 seconds at 322.58 mph from Friday night left him a precarious 16th going into Sunday's final two sessions.
Todd said his first Saturday run of 4.614 seconds at 317.19 mph could have been better but a clutch malfunction slowed him at the finish line. And tire smoke almost as soon as Todd mashed the throttle on the second run led him to believe the clutch was a fault again.
"That was definitely a disappointing run," said Todd, who is competing in his first U.S. Nationals as a Top Fuel driver. "I was ready to stand on it. I hope the weather holds tomorrow and we get in our two qualifying runs. We had a clutch problem on our first run and it could've been a clutch problem again on the last one."
