Sat, 29 Sep 2001, 08:49 PM CHICAGO-2 - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the Inaugural NHRA Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Frank Manzo         5.597 255.24  Q   18 Larry Bakke         6.542 181.94
 *****WINNER***** 0.494  5.628 251.44  E1                  0.650  9.387  89.74

Manzo was out of the gate first and with a nice smooth pass to move on to round two. Bakke made it to about 300 feet and then a big pop from a blower explosion to end his day.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Jay Payne           5.617 253.33  Q   15 Tate Branch         6.019 238.38
 *****WINNER***** 0.579  5.788 203.16  E1                  0.565  5.904 243.81

Branch with the slight advantage on the starting line, but Payne has the difference made up by 330 feet. He is driving away until around 1200 feet and there was bang. Payne slowed he was running 205.47 mph at half track and only 203.16 at the finish line. Branch did not have the power to chase him down with his best pass of the weekend.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Bob Newberry        5.667 250.88  Q   17 Wayne Butler        6.220 224.70
 *****WINNER***** 0.588  5.714 248.80  E1                  0.513  6.117 198.26

Butler was out of the gate first, but then the engine let go around half track putting oil out on the track. Newberry with a good looking pass to move into round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Steve Gasparrelli   5.673 250.00  Q   13 Jeff Craig          5.911 243.68
 *****WINNER***** 0.489  5.692 250.78  E1                  0.548  5.882 246.89

Gasparrelli out of the gate first and never looked back with another good looking pass. Craig got out of the groove and real close to the wall.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Von Smith           5.692 252.57  Q   12 Fred Hagen          5.887 248.43
 *****WINNER***** 0.462  5.708 250.51  E1                  0.501  6.116 227.15

Smith with a good light and just stretched the lead from there with a good looking pass. Hagen got loose on the top end and over by the wall. Smith will give up lane choice by 0.016 seconds to Gasparrelli in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Cy Chesterman       5.717 249.95  Q   11 Vern Moats          5.881 247.34
                  0.470 10.456  81.42  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.554  5.966 243.41

Chesterman was out of the gate first, but launched into big time tire shake and had to click it off. Moats slowed from his qualifying time, and will give up lane choice to Newberry in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Kirk Williams       5.722 247.38  Q   10 Chuck Cheeseman     5.868 210.01
 *****WINNER***** 0.477  5.704 249.44  E1                  0.489  5.810 240.00

Williams out of the gate first and runs his best pass of the weekend to take win and he will have lane choice over Payne in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Marc White          5.741 250.78  Q    9 Todd Veney          5.779 247.93
 *****WINNER***** 0.463  5.731 249.86  E1                  0.500  9.536  90.51

White with the starting line advantage and never looked back as Veney launched into a lot of tire shake and clicked it off. White will give up lane choice to Manzo in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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