Sun, 2 Sep 2001, 09:13 AM INDY - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 47th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Frank Manzo         5.680 251.39  Q   16 Bobby Martin        6.025 239.27
 *****WINNER***** 0.511  5.638 253.52  E1                  0.553  6.208 234.17

9:46 AM Manzo elected to run in the first pair out today and wasted no time getting his work done for the day, leaving first and streaking away with low ET and top speed of the weekend.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Jay Payne           5.680 251.06  Q   15 James Libby         6.020 233.08
 *****WINNER***** 0.620  5.728 249.44  E1                  0.417  5.961 234.04

THis one was much closer than expected, Libby with a great light and Payne very late, Libby stepping up from qualifying and Payne losing a few hundredths from yesterday. Margin of victory = 0.030 seconds (approximately 10 feet) after Libby's two-tenths holeshot and solid effort.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Bucky Austin        5.784 250.41  Q   14 Tate Branch         6.016 238.98
 *****WINNER***** 0.536  5.734 250.27  E1                  0.509  8.296  85.49

Branch had a very small starting line advantage, but shook and his parachute came out around the 100-foot mark. Austin made a clean, strong run to advance.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Doug Gordon         5.808 247.66  Q   13 Fred Hagen          5.993 247.29
                  0.491  5.788 247.84  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.543  5.695 253.95

The Funny Cars are flying this morning, Gordon with a nice holeshot and Hagen responding by running three tenths of a second under his qualifying run to get the win light. Margin of victory = 0.041 seconds (approximately 15 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Von Smith           5.832 246.17  Q   12 Vern Moats          5.990 241.63
 *****WINNER***** 0.482  5.779 246.80  E1                  0.566  5.792 248.61

Smith continues to drive well in his rookie season in NHRA competition, leaving the veteran Moats at the tree and driving away from him. Margin of victory = 0.097 seconds (approximately 35 feet). Smith faces Hagen next round, Hagen with lane choice.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Steve Addleman      5.838 242.10  Q   11 Jeff Craig          5.976 244.83
 *****WINNER***** 0.500  5.902 244.25  E1                  0.506  6.057 240.25

This was close at the start, but Craig got out of the groove, over near the wall, and may have brushed it. Margin of victory = 0.161 seconds (approximately 57 feet). Addleman races Austin next round, Bucky holding lane choice.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Bob Newberry        5.855 243.77  Q   10 Todd Veney          5.909 245.54
 *****WINNER***** 0.542  5.792 248.20  E1                  0.519  5.907 245.63

Veney got the early advantage, but "Newb" reeled him in by the 330-foot marker and then drove away for the win. Margin of victory = 0.092 seconds (approximately 33 feet). Newberry faces Payne in the second round, Payne's Valvoline car holding lane choice over Newberry's Valvoline car.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Kim Fritts          5.890 245.23  Q    9 Dennis Taylor       5.899 227.96
                  0.634  5.794 245.72  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.532  5.894 242.10

Last pair, the winner getting the dubious honor of racing Manzo next round. Taylor's tenth-of-a-second holeshot offset Fritts' tenth-of-a-second quicker ET to make this one very close. Margin of victory = 0.002 seconds (approximately 9 inches). Taylor loses lane choice to Manzo.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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