Sun, Feb 7, 04:30 PM POMONA - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 39th annual NHRA AutoZone Winternationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Pete Swayne         5.985 242.41  Q   4 Frank Manzo         5.812 248.43
 *****WINNER***** 0.525  5.728 250.27 E1                  0.445 12.001  77.43

Manzo is out of the gate first, and then has big time tire shake and pedals it, but goes back into tire shake and lifts. A big upset here and the World Champion and number one qualifier goes home early.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Bob Gallio          6.062 237.05  Q   2 Russ Parker         5.741 243.63
                  0.657  6.079 237.71 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.461  5.797 246.30

Galio makes a quick move toward the centerline and then pulls it back into his lane. Parker, the dairy farmer from Oregon, keeps his Got Milk car straight as a string and takes the win. Galio is then real late with the chutes and when they do deploy only one comes out. He almost gets it stopped, but still ends up in the sand trap.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Steve Sommer        5.968 243.11  Q   6 Bret Williamson     5.876 242.06
 *****WINNER***** 0.478  5.884 249.39 E1                  0.509  6.155 239.31

Sommer leaves first with the front wheels in the air and then shakes the tires, but keeps his foot in it and drives through it for the win.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 John Hyland         5.874 243.99  Q  12 Pat Austin          5.975 242.84
                  0.430  5.875 246.03 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.451  5.758 249.72

Hyland is out of the gate first and Austin does not chase him down until just past half-track. Austin with his quickest pass of the weekend by 2-tenths.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Larry Miner         5.909 252.33  Q  10 Steve Gasparrelli   5.926 219.40
                  0.471  6.038 238.30 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.530  5.938 244.34

Miner chatters the tires and then has his chutes out early. Gasparrelli bounces the front end a couple times on the launch and then uses up all of his lane, but does chase Miner down in the lights.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Dennis Taylor       5.922 218.76  Q   9 Mike Andreotti      5.923 227.84
 *****WINNER***** 0.426  6.026 232.07 E1                  0.457  9.089  86.11

Taylor leaves first and does not look back, so he misses all the action. Andreotti first makes a quick move toward the wall and when he corrects it he goes too far and then crosses the centerline. He hits the mph cone at half track.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  17 Rod Alexander       6.127 240.85  Q  16 Jay Payne           6.086 228.23
 *****WINNER***** 0.492  5.959 238.68 E1                  0.563  6.011 237.05

Alexander gives Payne a warm welcome to the Federal-Mogul Funny Car ranks as he trees him and then just drives away from him.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Mert Littlefield    6.049 229.31  Q   3 Bucky Austin        5.785 248.93
                  0.463  5.814 243.24 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.468  5.770 250.04

They leave together and are glued together until right before the finish line. Austin squeaks ahead for a half a car length win.

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