Sun, 14 Nov 2010, 04:20 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 46th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Tony Bartone                            9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2                   0.081  5.706 257.78     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.723 256.65
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Bellemeur ) 0.096  7.287 216.13      (S Burck     ) 0.058  5.754 257.38
 Qualified:             #1  5.449 266.00                        #8  5.582 258.62

12:56 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 25 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,654 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Bartone won the only other time he and Gasparrelli have raced each other, in the U.S. Nationals semifinals in 1998.

Bartone's car once again chattered the tires and went out toward the wall. He drove through it, but that hurt his ET just enough to give Gasparrelli a holeshot victory. Steve Gasparrelli's incremental margins: 60ft(0.025), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.016), 1,000ft(0.009). MOV: 0.0055 seconds (approximately 2 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Mark Woznichak                       7976 Keeter Ray                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.138  5.654 250.18                     0.105 No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Gordon    ) 0.086  6.306 202.18      (J Lombardo J) 0.153  5.711 252.43
 Qualified:            #13  5.639 253.85                       #12  5.627 255.92

This is the first time Woznichak and Ray have faced each other at a national event.

Ray's car was all over his lane and much of Woznichak's, taking out the 330 and 660-foot timing reflectors. We'll be down for a bit while the sweepers clean up the "orange confetti." Fortunately, Woznichak was on a strong run and was clear of the scene before Ray crossed the centerline.

Woznichak will have lane choice against gasparrelli in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 710D Alexis De Joria                         6 Mickey Ferro                 
E2                   0.129  5.650 257.97     ****WINNER****  0.051  5.569 257.33
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Williamson) 0.124  5.685 245.40      (B Hough     ) 0.065  5.614 259.56
 Qualified:             #7  5.582 261.42                        #2  5.477 263.20

Ferro is 3-0 against DeJoria and won the only other time they met in round two, at Las Vegas two weeks ago.

Ferro had a good light and a relatively straight, smooth run. DeJoria was late, then her car made a hard move out of the groove about 200 feet out.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Sean O'Bannon                           8 Jay Payne                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.147  5.554 255.39                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Bojec     ) 0.073  5.570 255.77      (B Henry     ) 0.082  8.078 110.81
 Qualified:             #3  5.520 260.31                        #6  5.575 258.86

O'Bannon and Payne have an even split in prior events, 2-2. They have met in round 2 twice before, each winning once, at Topeka last year and again this year.

Payne's car rolled forward at the last instant, drawing a red light. O'Bannon made a strong, straight run and will have lane choice against Ferro in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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