Sun, 27 Apr 2014, 13:45 PM Pro Modified presented by J&A Service Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Pro Modified presented by J&A Service at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 27th annual O'Reilly NHRA SpringNationals presented by Super Start Batteries:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 220F Kevin Fiscus                            3 Mike Castellana              
E2                   0.060  6.075 244.25     ****WINNER****  0.052  5.916 243.41
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Coughlin  ) 0.060  5.918 246.98      (M Knowles   ) 0.029  5.933 242.71
 Qualified:             #3  5.893 248.66                       #11  5.942 242.67

12:10 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 75 percent, barometer 29.63 inches, adjusted altitude 2,607 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

The first round was outstanding, so this one will have to be something special to match it.

This is the first time Fiscus and Castellana have faced each other in eliminations.

Staging duel...Fiscus' car went out toward the wall on the launch, then back across the groove when he got the front wheels down, letting Castellana get the early lead. He never gave it back, Castellana making his quickest run of the event.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3382 Don Walsh                            5450 Steve Matusek                
E2                   0.060  5.993 249.53     ****WINNER****  0.057  5.924 245.63
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Laurita Jr) 0.053  5.941 250.51      (P Farber    ) 0.064  5.915 245.14
 Qualified:            #16  5.998 247.52                        #8  5.923 246.17

This is the first time Walsh and Matusek have faced each other in eliminations.

These two left almost together and that worked against Walsh, who never led. Steve Matusek's MOV: 0.0721 seconds (approximately 26 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1456 Mike Janis                            501 Ron Muenks                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.050  5.895 245.58                     0.027  5.964 241.67
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Stevenson ) 0.048  5.905 246.17      (H Martin    ) 0.104  6.485 226.85
 Qualified:             #5  5.896 246.48                        #4  5.895 240.08

Muenks left first, but Janis ran him down by half track, then opened the lead. Mike Janis' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.007), 330 ft(-0.002), 660ft(0.013), 1,000ft(0.032). MOV: 0.0461 seconds (approximately 16 feet).

Muenks was still pretty fast when he got close to the turnoff, locked it up and slid sideways into the sand pit. Didn't look like it did much damage.

Janis will have lane choice against Matusek in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Danny Rowe                              1 Rickie Smith                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.832 11.378  55.65                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (V Smith     ) 0.032  5.896 246.03      (S Whiteley  ) 0.072  5.868 247.88
 Qualified:            #10  5.930 246.53                        #2  5.881 244.69

Took awhile before they got Muenks' Camaro dug out of the gravel and this final pair could do their thing.

Smith is 2 - 1 against Rowe in prior events.

Smith's car had to be pushed back after the burnout. Looked like the engine was running, but they staged Rowe to run as a single. He launched and shut it off, coasting through. Rowe will not have lane choice against Castellana in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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