Sun, 03 Mar 2013, 15:20 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at Firebird International Raceway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5757 Terry Ruckman                          78 Doug Gordon                  
E1                   0.049  5.743 253.99     ****WINNER****  0.075  5.634 255.19
 Qualified:             #7  5.727 255.87                        #2  5.616 256.55

12:51 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 28.75 inches, adjusted altitude 2,540 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Ruckman is away first, but Gordon just nips him at the sixty foot lights and pulls steadily ahead for the win.

Both cars run close to their qualifying times.

Doug Gordon's incremental margins: 60ft(0.009), 330 ft(0.046), 660ft(0.069), 1,000ft(0.080). MOV: 0.0837 seconds (approximately 31 feet).

Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.972 sec., 330ft-2.564, 660ft-3.807/200.74 mph, 1,000ft-4.855.
Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.492, 660ft-3.712/203.16 mph, 1,000ft-4.749.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  771 Charles McLaws                          9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  5.655 254.52                     0.059  8.653 105.34
 Qualified:             #4  5.660 257.92                        #5  5.678 256.75

Mc Laws didn't run the final qualifying session yesterday.

Gasparrelli car drives right out of the groove at the green and towards the wall. He tries to drive through the shake and spin, but has to give it up.

McLaws runs better than he qualified to take the easy win.

Charles McLaws' incremental times: 60ft-0.936 sec., 330ft-2.494, 660ft-3.724/202.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.768.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6515 Brian Hough                             2 Tony Bartone                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.669 255.77                     0.122  5.632 260.31
 Qualified:             #8  5.775 224.66                        #1  5.592 260.66

Hough had big engine problems yesterday, but not today! He gets a big starting line advantage and just holds off a quicker Bartone right to the finish line, where he gets the win by just one inch!!

Bartone made another clean and strong pass, but just couldn't overcome Hough's hole shot.

Brian Hough's incremental margins: 60ft(0.053), 330 ft(0.038), 660ft(0.024), 1,000ft(0.012). MOV: 0.0002 seconds (approximately 1 inches).

McLaws will have Lane choice in round two.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.965 sec., 330ft-2.537, 660ft-3.753/204.57 mph, 1,000ft-4.788.
Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.981 sec., 330ft-2.538, 660ft-3.740/206.16 mph, 1,000ft-4.763.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Jay Payne                               4 Annie Whiteley               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.199  5.705 256.31                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #6  5.685 256.65                        #3  5.637 257.33

Whiteley does her normal burnout and is not able to continue, as there was a problem in the drive train. The car is pushed away.

Payne takes his single with a full pass, but has to give up lane choice to Gordon in round two.

Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.548, 660ft-3.783/201.22 mph, 1,000ft-4.824.

1:04 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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