Sat, 02 Mar 2013, 14:58 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at Firebird International Raceway listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Nick Januik Runs 6.009/241.97, Now #7; Best prior run: 13.110/62.48, Was #8

12:10 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 30 percent, barometer 28.99 inches, adjusted altitude 1,885 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

Januik gets a little loose down track and slows.

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Left Lane: Terry Ruckman Runs 5.727/255.87, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.751/257.09, Was #6
Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.678/256.75, Now #4; No Prior Run

Brian Hough is on the bump spot at 10.607. Two good passes and only Gasparrelli improves. This gets him in the field in the top four for now.

Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.558, 660ft-3.799/201.28 mph, 1,000ft-4.843.
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.517, 660ft-3.755/201.58 mph, 1,000ft-4.798.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.711/254.76, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.685/256.65, Was #5
Right Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.775/224.66, Now #8; Best prior run: 10.607/82.60, Was #9

Hough almost gets to the finish line under power, but there is a big bang from the engine and he slows. It's still good enough to bump him into the field.

Clean pass for Payne, but he doesn't improve.

Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.536, 660ft-3.778/201.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.825.
Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.559, 660ft-3.789/203.16 mph, 1,000ft-4.827.

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Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.624/255.39, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.616/256.55, Was #2
Right Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 5.637/257.33, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.687/254.23, Was #6

Both cars run side by side right down the middle of their lanes and Whiteley finds a little ET and speed to move up into the top half of the field.

Gordon runs close to yesterday's best.

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.487, 660ft-3.706/203.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.741.
Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.501, 660ft-3.720/203.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.758.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.592/260.66, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.608/261.12, Was #1
Right Lane: Charles McLaws No Time, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.660/257.92, Was #4

Last pair of the session.

McLaws tires start to studder off the line and the back end gets loose. He pumps the throttle, but that just drives the Firebird across the centerline. No time for him.

Great looking pass for Bartone picking up a little more ET to stay #1.

Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.960 sec., 330ft-2.512, 660ft-3.710/207.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.727.

12:20 p.m. Brian Hough is on the bump spot at 5.775.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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