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After a moving rendition of the National Anthem and a trio of fighter-jet flyovers, the first pair of Top Fuel dragsters take to the track. In a mind-blowing opening act, Josh Hart and his R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster blast off the starting line to the tune of .023-second. Incredibly, Leah Pruett's very strong .036 in the Dodge Direct Connection rail is the decider as matching 3.905s flash on the scoreboards.

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Buddy Hull's 4.00 is just a tick off his best qualifying time, and Antron Brown has no issues in his Matco Tools Toyota. He wins it on a 3.82.

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The No. 1 qualifier has a cylinder out and begins to smoke the tires just before half-track, and Brittany Force is heading home early. Rob Passey is celebrating the third round-win of his career on a 4.12 in his Johnny West-tuned Seven23 Ent/Salt Depot dragster. 

"The thing about this place is that it's a great equalizer," said Passey. "I wouldn't mind if it was 110 degrees out here; it's hard for these guys to pull the power back, but we just motor down there – if they bobble at all, we're standing here having some fun.

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Mac Tools dragster pilot Doug Kalitta, the No. 2 qualifier, is a steady 3.87 to defeat Terry Totten's 4.04 – his best run of the weekend. 

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Mike Salinas makes a good run in his Scrappers Racing Valley Services dragster, and a 3.85 gets the job done over Austin Prock's 3.91.

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Clay Millican takes his Parts Plus dragster straight down the track to a 3.84 that defeats Tony Schumacher's best run of the weekend, a 3.88. 

"It's only our second first-round win of the year, but the last time we did that, we won them all," said Clay Millican. "I love this mountain; we're going out there to stomp on that loud pedal three more times today." 

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Justin Ashley is stunted by the racing surface this time around and musters a 4.43 that can't stand up to Steve Torrence's 3.81. 

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The SealMaster Top Fueler is off the starting line first thanks to Shawn Langdon's .057 reaction time, and he puts a 3.89 on the scoreboard to defeat Greg Carrillo's tire-smoking 5.08. 

"We have a good car today," said Langdon. "We have a bug in the car, and we've been trying to fight it out of it, but it's taking longer than we thought. Drag racing is full circle, though. You have to take it for what it is and keep your head down. The round wins will come." 

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Top Fuel pairings for round two (lane choice first): Shawn Langdon vs. Rob Passey; Mike Salinas vs. Clay Millican; Doug Kalitta vs. Josh Hart; Steve Torrence vs. Antron Brown

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Bob Tasca III's Motorcraft Quicklane Ford was quick in qualifying for the No. 3 position, but here he gets into trouble and slows to a 5.68. Cruz Pedregon and the Snap-On Tools Toyota catch a lucky break and win on a 4.57. 

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John Force, the most winning driver at Bandimere Speedway, records a 4.02 in his Peak Chevrolet to defeat Steven Densham's 4.73. 

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Chris King ran his career best numbers in qualifying, but a leak in the air bottle is discovered before he fires up his Howard Cams Competition Parts Funny Car. He can't make the run, and No. 1 qualifier Matt Hagan goes 4.04 on a solo run. 

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Robert Hight, driving the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet, is making his 400th career start this weekend – notably, the three-time champion made his 300th start here in 2017, when he beat Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final. This day stars on a positive note as he collects a round-win over Alex Laughlin, 4.08 to 4.59.

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Terry Haddock had a big blow up in Saturday qualifying, but he returns to make round one with a back-up Funny Car body. He's giving it a good effort, but Ron Capps and the NAPA Toyota are first off the starting line and first to the finish, 4.02 to 4.17.

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Chad Green moves first but has cylinder out early, and he's fighting his car down the track. Alexis DeJoria gets down there first in her ROKIT Toyota and wins, 4.08 to 4.20. 

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Tim Wilkerson and J.R. Todd are having a great race until about half-track, when the flames dissipate for Wilk and Todd surges ahead for a 4.05 to 4.46 triumph. 

"We got all three of our cars in the second round, and it's been awhile since we've done that," said Todd. "This DHL Toyota needs a win, and we're digging hard. We'll have our work cut out for us next round – it's going to be a good one." 

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Funny Car pairings for round two (lane choice first): Matt Hagan vs. bye; Ron Capps vs. Robert Hight; John Force vs. J.R. Todd; Alexis DeJoria vs. Cruz Pedregon

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Both Jerry Tucker and Deric Kramer get loose almost immediately. Tucker is .009 at the tree in his Outlaw Beer-branded Chevrolet to Kramer's .047 and gets to the finish line first with a 7.03 to a 7.04. 

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Johnson's Horsepowered Garage campaigner Bo Butner is off the starting line first, but Camrie Caruso and her Tequila Comisario Chevy gets around him for a 6.96 to 6.99 win. The margin of victory is .015-second. 

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Cristian Cuadra and his Corral Boots Chevy are off the starting line in .019-second to Kyle Koretsky's .030, but "Kid Chaos" builds up a 6.93 in his Lucas Oil Chevy to nudge out a 7.00. 

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Matching .027-second reaction times are thrown down by four-time Denver winner Greg Anderson and young Mason McGaha, but Mason has trouble early and Anderson takes the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to a winning 6.92 to a 7.24. 

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Defending Mile-High Nationals winner Matt Hartford, who also won the last race on tour in Norwalk, doesn't quite hit the tree as well as he normally does (.067), but Fernando Cuadra is .127. Hartford wins with ease in his Rottler/Total Seal/GETTRX Chevrolet, 6.95 to 7.03. 

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In a rematch of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge final yesterday, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield pull to the starting line. Yesterday, Coughlin won with a perfect reaction while Stanfield was red. Here, Stanfield is .025 green but Coughlin is .012 and goes 6.93 to beat a 6.94.

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Points leader Dallas Glenn and his RAD Torque Chevy are off the starting line with a .048 reaction time, identical to that of opponent Chris McGaha. The scoreboard beacon flashes in Glenn's lane as he goes 6.92 to 6.95.

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Fernando Cuadra Jr. has proven to be one of the best leavers in the class, and his .019 is true to form here. Enders recovers from a .049 in her Johnson's Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro and wins with a low-of-the-round 6.91 to 7.00. 

"[Crew chief] Mark Ingersoll never ceases to amaze me," she said. "He says he has a playbook for this mountain because he won so many times here with Allen Johnson, but this mountain has evaded me for the last 19 years. I really want to get it done today." 

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Pro Stock pairings for round two (lane choice first): Erica Enders vs. Jerry Tucker; Greg Anderson vs. Troy Coughlin Jr.; Matt Hartford vs. Camrie Caruso; Dallas Glenn vs. Kyle Koretsky

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Jianna Evaristo's Valley Services Suzuki remains silent as she attempts to fire it up, and she cannot make the run. Angie Smith rides the pink DENSO Suzuki to a winning 7.18. 

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Ryan Oehler goes red in a big way, and Marc Ingwersen clocks a 7.21 on his Buckeye Harley-Davidson EBR in his win. 

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Kelly Clontz is battling her Steamfitters UA Local 602 Suzuki as it pushes toward the centerline, and she has to shut off. Mission #2Fast2Tasty winner Matt Smith takes his DENSO Suzuki  to a winning 7.17.

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Steve Johnson is well-prepared to make a move with a .015 reaction time on his SJR Suzuki, but Eddie Krawiec's Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki flies to a 7.14 to a 7.30 for the win.

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With a bye run to the semifinals up for grabs, No. 2 qualifier Chase Van Sant defeats Lance Bonham, who goes red by -.308. Van Sant temporarily grabs hold of low elapsed time of race day aboard his Trick-Tools Suzuki with his 7.13 offering. 

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No. 1 qualifier Hector Arana Jr. has a bye run here, and it comes in handy as he shuts off and records a 9.55. He'll sacrifice lane choice to Ingwersen in the next round. 

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Chris Bostick is -.004 red on the Champions Performance Cycles entry and Gaige Herrera makes a very quick 7.09 pass on his Vance & Hines Mission Food Suzuki. 

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Pro Stock Motorcycle pairings for round two (lane choice first): Gaige Herrera vs. Matt Smith; Chase Van Sant vs. bye; Marc Ingwersen vs. Hector Arana Jr.; Eddie Krawiec vs. Angie Smith

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Round two: 

Rob Passey's round wins for the day have concluded, and Shawn Langdon takes the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster to a 4.04 win over a 4.12 with cylinders out. Langdon is heading to the semifinals for the first time since Phoenix, where he was runner-up. 

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Kalitta Motorsports is having one of their best days of the season. Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools dragster are off the starting line first by .001 and he keeps ahead of Josh Hart for a 3.86 to 3.87 win. The margin of victory is just .019. 

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Clay Millican and the Parts Plus rail are going to the semifinals with the quickest pass of the rounds so far. Millican's 3.86 gets the nod over traction-troubled Mike Salinas. The last time Millican beat Salinas was in Brainerd two years ago. 

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Steve Torrence and Antron Brown are in a heated battle here, and although Brown has an early lead, Torrence and the CAPCO rail edge ahead for a 3.90 to 3.94 victory. Torrence is heading to the semifinals for the first time since Epping. 

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Top Fuel pairings semifinals (lane choice first): Clay Millican vs. Shawn Langdon; Doug Kalitta vs. Steve Torrence

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Cruz Pedregon loses traction first, Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Tequila Toyota have trouble further down-track, but DeJoria refuses to throw in the towel and goes 4.87 to win over a 5.88. DeJoria's most recent trip to the semis – in Bristol – led to the final round. 

"You're either the windshield or the bug, but I guess today is our day," said DeJoria's crew chief Del Worsham with a shake of his head and a grin.

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The DHL Toyota launches first, and J.R. Todd keeps ahead of 16-time champion John Force to advance to the semifinals for the second consecutive race, 4.03 to 4.07. 

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Reigning world champ Ron Capps and his NAPA Toyota launches with efficiency ahead of Hight and stays ahead as Hight loses traction and pedals without productivity. 

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On a competition bye run, the Dodge Direct Connection Funny Car is dropping cylinders and Hagan shuts off, coasting to a 4.28. 

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Funny Car pairings semifinals (lane choice first): Ron Capps vs. Matt Hagan; J.R. Todd vs. Alexis DeJoria

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The defending event champion in Pro Stock will not go back-to-back. Matt Hartford is first to launch but Camrie Caruso lays down a 6.96 to beat a 6.98 in her Tequila Comisario Chevrolet. The 2022 Rookie of the Year won Phoenix this year and also reached the semifinals in Pomona. 

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Friends and teammates Dallas Glenn and Kyle Koretsky are racing one another for the first time this year, and it is evident that they're both amped up for this one. Glenn is .018 at the tree and "Kid Chaos" is .022, and at the top end, Glenn gets the win with a 6.93 in his RAD Torque Chevrolet to a 6.941. 

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Greg Anderson has lined up against the yellow and black of the JEGS.com brand for now 130 times, and this time it's Troy Coughlin Jr. in the other lane. T.J. launches first and Anderson falls into tire shake and has to push the clutch in. Coughlin advances on a 6.93 and is headed to his second consecutive semifinal round. 

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Erica Enders and the Johnson's Horsepowered Garage Chevy are super-quick at the hit. She's .001 at the tree to Jerry Tucker's .038 and keeps ahead for a 6.946 to 6.948 win. Enders won the event the last time she reached the semifinals (Bristol). 

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Pro Stock pairings semifinals (lane choice first): Troy Coughlin Jr. vs. Erica Enders; Dallas Glenn vs. Camrie Caruso

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The GETTRX Buell and rider Hector Arana Jr. are off to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive event. Second-generation drag racer Arana leaves ahead of Marc Ingwersen by .002 and keeps ahead, 7.15 to 7.23. 

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Angie Smith handles her DENSO machine well, launching with a .023 next to Eddie Krawiec's .076 for a holeshot win, 7.21 to 7.17. The margin of victory is .012 to send her to the semis for the third time this season.

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On his solo run, Chase Van Sant stays sharp at the starting line with a .003 reaction time and clocks a 7.19 on his Trick-Tools Pro Stock Motorcycle. 

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It's another trip to the semifinals for points leader Gaige Herrera, who is .012 at the tree and 7.14 on the Mission Foods Suzuki to top Matt Smith's .022 and 7.19. 

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Pro Stock Motorcycle pairings semifinals (lane choice first): Hector Arana Jr. vs. Angie Smith; Gaige Herrera vs. Chase Van Sant

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Semifinals:

This is starting to feel a lot like Chicago for Clay Millican and his Parts Plus team. There, he won his first round of the year and went on to win the race. Here, Millican is reaching the final for the second time this year and 21st time of his NHRA Top Fuel career as he makes a great pass next to Shawn Langdon for a 3.85 to 4.00 win. 

"One more win light, baby, and we'll be home with this last Wally from this awesome, scenic racetrack," exclaimed Millican. 

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For the first time this season, Doug Kalitta is taking the Mac Tools dragster to the final round. Steve Torrence has a starting line advantage but then gets a bit loose down track. Kalitta catches him and drives around, winning on a 3.86 to 3.88. This will be Kalitta's 108th career final. 

"I'm just real happy we got that win light," said Kalitta. "We're going to have to get up on the wheel for the final and see if we can get the win for Kalitta Motorsports." 

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Top Fuel final round (lane choice first): Clay Millican vs. Doug Kalitta

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Matt Hagan's stellar weekend continues as he slaps Ron Capps with a .008 reaction time in the Dodge Direct Connection Funny Car and uses it to claim a holeshot win over the champ, 4.10 to 4.05. Capps was .088 on the tree. This will be Hagan's fifth final of the season and second consecutive, and he has one previous win in Denver. 

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Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Tequila Toyota are headed to the final for the third time this season, and she's in the hunt for the first win of the year after a 4.24 to 4.38 victory over J.R. Todd. Both drivers were battling to get their cars down the track with cylinders out. DeJoria was in the other lane with Matt Hagan won this race in 2021, so the final will be a chance for redemption. 

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Funny Car final round (lane choice first): Matt Hagan vs. Alexis DeJoria

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Troy Coughlin Jr.'s got something with his JEGS.com Chevrolet here at Bandimere Speedway, and he's better at both ends of the racetrack to defeat reigning champ Erica Enders and dash her hopes of a Denver win. Coughlin advances to his third final of the year and 10th of his career in the category with a 6.94 to 6.97. 

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Points leader Dallas Glenn launches first and has no trouble defeating Camrie Caruso's 6.95 with his 6.93 in the RAD Torque Camaro. He's going to the sixth final of the year in just nine races. It is the 14th final of his career. 

"Troy is white-hot lately, and he beat me pretty bad in the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – I definitely want to get him back for that," said Glenn.

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Pro Stock final (lane choice first): Dallas Glenn vs. Troy Coughlin Jr.

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The GETTRX Buell had been the bike to beat so often this weekend, and here, Hector Arana Jr. is a blistering .005 on the starting line, but then he has problems and has to let off. Angie Smith rides her DENSO EBR to a 7.21 win to advance to her second final of the year and seventh of her career. 

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Points leader Gaige Herrera will have the opportunity to return to glory as he races past Chase Van Sant with an eye-opening 7.10 to 7.16. It will be the fifth final for Herrera this year. 

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Pro Stock Motorcycle final round (lane choice first): Gaige Herrera vs. Angie Smith