Sat, Feb 27, 05:17 PM CHANDLER - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragster at the 15th annual NHRA Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals:

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Mark Woods          5.494 255.43  Q   14 Ed Schmeekle        5.713 243.15
 *****WINNER***** 0.540  5.687 239.53  E1                  0.504  5.756 239.65

02:38 PM The final two Federal-Mogul Funny Cars are sitting at the sides of the staging area, cooling off while the dragsters run. This first pair gave them something to watch, Schmeekle giving number-three qualifier Woods all he could handle. Schmeekle almost pulled it off, but his engine began spewing fluids out the right side around the 330-foot mark and the car began slipping and sliding as the spray began hitting the rear tire. Schmeekle never lifted, but his fishtailing car was unable to hang on to the lead and Woods nipped him in the last hundred feet to take the win. Schmeekle's fun didn't end at the finish line, the engine expiring in a flash of flame and the rear tires now so slick that he had problems stopping the car, ending up in the dirt off the end of the strip.

Margin of victory = 0.033 seconds, approximately 12 feet.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Cliff Bingham       5.598 252.85  Q   10 Darren Nicholson    5.635 252.19
                  0.424  5.743 221.02  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.443  5.621 253.09

These two finished 4th and 5th in Division 7 in 1998, so you know they have faced off a few times in the past. This was a good race to about 200 feet, then Bingham's tires started to chatter and Nicholson closed the gap when Bingham had to pedal it. It was still a very close race to about 1,000 feet, but then there was a loud POP as the burst panel let go in Bingham's car and Nicholson pulled away to a big lead.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Mike Strasburg      5.606 250.51  Q    9 Darryl Hitchman     5.626 242.10
                  0.473  7.226 147.71  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.520  5.617 233.84

Strasburg left with the front wheels two feet in the air and the rear tires chattering. he backed off and banged the front wheels down, then tried again, but shook once more and he called it off. Hitchman made a clean pass, right down the groove, his best of the weekend, for an easy win.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Duane Sheilds       5.715 244.03  Q    2 Rick Santos         5.487 255.48
                  0.353  5.784 241.58  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.568  5.820 181.45

Shields gave this one to Santos with the red light, Santos uncharacteristically late and then losing the engine with a BANG at about 800 feet. Even with the red light, Santos was leading until the engine let go. Santos advances, but loses lane choice to Nicholson in round two.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Gary Ormsby         5.692 242.58  Q    5 Melanie Troxel      5.529 256.60
                  0.481  6.202 174.82  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.450  5.746 244.21

Melanie won this one easily, Ormsby's engine laboring to half track and then expiring with a loud POP.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Mark Hentges        5.530 255.10  Q   11 Steve Federlin      5.686 244.96
                  0.593  5.712 251.91  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.483  5.751 245.18

Hentges gave Federlin a huge holeshot and then drove through shake trying to catch him. The shaking apparently loosened some fasteners because a big piece of bodywork came off at half-track. Federlin will face Woods in round two, Woods with lane choice.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Kent Nuckols        5.693 248.39  Q    4 Dale Carlson        5.502 254.33
                        No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 0.524  5.638 224.66

Carlson got a single when Nuckols' car wouldn't go into reverse. Carlson obviously took it easy on the car, shutting off well before the finish line (look at the speed). He will face Melanie Troxel in round two and will have lane choice.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Mark Niver          5.719 245.18  Q    1 Rick Henkelman      5.452 257.19
                  0.558  6.095 222.44  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.527  5.481 247.11

Niver's car dropped a couple cylinders at the start, then shook very hard and was never in it. A nice, smooth, clean run by Henkelman to take lane choice against Hitchman in round two. 3:09 PM and that's it for now.




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