Fri, 01 Mar 2013, 15:22 PM Competition Eliminator Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Competition Eliminator 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, amount over/under index this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time, speed & over/under Index, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Joe Mozeris Runs 7.103/188.02/-0.417, Now #14; B/ED Index: 7.52, Prior Best: 7.091/186.61/-0.429, Was #14
Right Lane: Tyler Hogan Runs 7.085/162.27/-0.515, Now #4; C/DA Index: 7.60, Prior Best: 6.989/190.08/-0.611, Was #4

12:30 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 29.06 inches, adjusted altitude 1,758 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Field not filled, no bump spot. Only seventeen cars ran yesterday and I don't think there are many more today.

Two clean passes, but no improvements in the more difficult weather conditions.

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Left Lane: Mark Lelchook Runs 7.407/178.00/-0.533, Now #10; D/DA Index: 7.94, Prior Best: 7.427/178.85/-0.513, Was #12
Right Lane: Eddie Gilbert No Time, Now #17; B/EA Index: 8.33, Prior Best: 12.844/66.63/4.514, Was #17

Gilbert has problems keeping the engine running after the burnout and the starter gives Lelchook a single.

Lelchook finds some power from yesterday and moves two spots up the ladder.

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Left Lane: Randy Jones No Time, Now #2; C/TA Index: 9.05, Prior Best: 8.418/157.63/-0.632, Was #2
Right Lane: Alan Ellis Runs 8.709/117.40/1.559, Now #7; A/AA Index: 7.15, Prior Best: 6.568/205.66/-0.582, Was #7

Jones ran under the record yesterday, but the little pickup rolls the beams and then motors on down the track.

Ellis' altered has too much power for the track and shakes and spins right off the line.

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Left Lane: Kurt Hugger Runs 8.135/122.56/0.135, Now #8; PST Index: 8.00, Prior Best: 7.431/183.29/-0.569, Was #8
Right Lane: Dean Carter Runs 6.993/188.15/-0.567, Now #9; B/ND Index: 7.56, Prior Best: 7.043/187.42/-0.517, Was #12

Carter ran TD at the National Event last weekend with his little Chevy rear engined dragster.

Both car make strong leaves and Carter finally finds the tune up. He moves three spots up the ladder to the new number two spot.

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Left Lane: Tom Mettler Runs 7.440/182.35/-0.560, Now #5; PST Index: 8.00, Prior Best: 7.405/183.37/-0.595, Was #5
Right Lane: Mike DePalma Runs 8.874/149.25/-0.656, Now #1; I/SM Index: 9.53, Prior Best: 8.901/152.50/-0.629, Was #3

DePalma runs straight and true this time and takes over the new top spot. That's quicker than the record.

Mettler runs close to yesterday's best, but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Ross Wilson Runs 8.624/130.24/-0.136, Now #10; C/SM Index: 8.76, Prior Best: 8.204/165.68/-0.556, Was #10
Right Lane: Art Hodges Runs 7.849/174.87/-0.081, Now #15; A/PM Index: 7.93, No Prior Run

Hodges leaves before the tree and slows down track.

Wilson's engine isn't happy and he slows.

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Left Lane: Jeremy Bailey Runs 6.918/197.83/-0.472, Now #13; B/DA Index: 7.39, Prior Best: 6.913/193.40/-0.477, Was #13
Right Lane: Bill Kent Runs 6.861/196.70/-0.409, Now #15; B/D Index: 7.27, No Prior Run

Kent didn't get a pass yesterday, but gets to the finish line under power and has a spot in the field.

Bailey picks up some speed, but stays #13.

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Right Lane: Jeff Lane Runs 10.848/90.44/2.228, Now #6; B/SMA Index: 8.62, Prior Best: 8.035/154.78/-0.585, Was #6

Lane gets a single. When the front end goes up in the air, the car drives hard towards the wall. He wisely lifts.

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Right Lane: Robert Bailey Runs 6.630/203.55/-0.580, Now #8; A/ED Index: 7.21, Prior Best: 6.685/179.80/-0.525, Was #12

... another single.

Bailey powers off the line and makes a full pass this time at over two hundred MPH. That takes him into the current top eight. Nice!

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Right Lane: Lou Ficco Jr. Runs 6.949/198.50/-0.621, Now #2; B/AA Index: 7.57, Prior Best: 6.916/198.88/-0.654, Was #2

Ficco makes a single to close out the session. He slows just a tad.

12:44 p.m. Mike DePalma is number one at -0.656 under his index. Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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