Sun, 3 Oct 1999, 02:46 PM TOPEKA - Pro Stock Round 1 Eliminations

By Ed Dykes Yes, Lane Choice Matters

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock at the 11th annual Advance Auto Parts Nationals:

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Allen Johnson       6.922 197.39  Q    9 Ron Krisher         6.923 197.51
                  0.404  7.032 196.56  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.478  6.941 196.64

1:25 PM, still completely overcast, and 44 degrees air temp, 62 on the starting line. Johnson's Dodge was killer off the line, a near-perfect reaction time, then the car turned left at 50' and he was forced to manhandle the car back into the center of the lane, killing his momentum. At the end, it was only 0.017 seconds, about 5 feet.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Jim Yates           6.913 197.74  Q   10 Kurt Johnson        6.925 198.23
                  0.443  8.847 107.03  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.445  6.905 199.11

Team Yates has been busy this morning, the engine backfiring when they tried to start it to warm it up. The boom injured the intake manifold, but they were able to take the top plate off and effect repairs, and they're here and ready to go. At the green, Yates gets loose and almost crosses the centerline, forced to abort the run to keep the car on four wheels.

   
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Bruce Allen         6.912 199.02  Q   11 Steve Schmidt       6.926 198.47
                  0.482  7.859 131.83  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.476  6.947 193.49

Allen shuts off at just past half track, the car loose and out of the groove, handing the win to the Indianapolis team.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 George Marnell      6.930 198.09  Q    5 Jeg Coughlin        6.911 198.52
                  0.453  7.020 196.02  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.437  6.956 196.56

Marnell manages to navigate the left side better than any previous car in this round, but it's not enough to beat that yellow and black machine. The margin at the end was 0.080 seconds, about 23 feet.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Mike Trumble        6.933 197.22  Q    4 Mark Pawuk          6.894 199.14
 *****WINNER***** 0.439  7.712 172.76  E1                  0.457 11.875  71.99

Both cars shake off the line, then something breaks on the Summit Firebird but Trumble doesn't know it and he pedals and weaves his way to the finishline. Trumble is in the running for the No Bull bonus money at this race, too.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 John Nobile         6.935 198.17  Q    2 Warren Johnson      6.891 200.08
                  0.475 13.202  65.77  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.442  6.903 199.64

Nobile shakes and shuts off, and WJ earns the win and round two lane choice over his son (by just 0.002 seconds).

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Tom Martino         6.935 199.46  Q    3 Troy Coughlin       6.892 198.38
                  0.429  6.960 198.06  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.452  6.888 198.29

The parade of right lane winners continues, as the second Jeg's car advances into the second round. The margin here was 0.049 seconds, about 14 feet.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Mike Edwards        6.935 197.05  Q    1 Richie Stevens      6.888 198.44
 *****WINNER***** 0.443  6.929 197.42  E1                  0.465  6.921 197.77

Edwards gets the holeshot and parlays it into the first left lane win of the round, as we see the #1 qualifier fall here in the last pair of round one. The margin at the end was a mere 0.014 seconds, about 14 feet.




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