Sat, 27 Oct 2001, 06:40 PM LAS VEGAS 2 - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the Inaugural AC Delco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Steve Griboski      5.997 238.34  Q    2 Jay Payne           5.753 243.72
                  0.496 10.172 107.81  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.517  5.804 243.24

3:14 PM Federal-Mogul Funny cars get to come out and play. It was a tough round one for some of the dragsters and there were a few upsets. Payne gets an easy win as Griboski makes a right turn at the hit and he has no choice but to shut it down.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 John Weaver         5.820 239.53  Q    9 Steve Gasparrelli   5.832 246.17
                  0.493  5.883 239.87  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.489  5.804 248.20

Gasparrelli hurt an engine in the last qualifying session so I'm sure the extra few minutes we're behind schedule were welcome for that crew. Pretty even lights but it's Gasparrelli that pulls away from Weaver at every marker.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Bernie Harrington   5.916 242.58  Q    3 Von Smith           5.755 249.16
                  0.434  7.278 227.11  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.481  5.830 246.30

Harrington has a super light but his funny car is smoking the tires before he went twenty feet. Smith takes an easy win.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Doug Gordon         5.897 245.49  Q    4 Bucky Austin        5.756 249.49
                  0.446  6.215 175.27  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.509  5.799 249.30

Gordon drills Austin on the tree but his car let him down. Cordon clicked it early and Bucky has low ET of the round to this point.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Tate Branch         5.857 242.80  Q    5 Bob Newberry        5.758 245.27
                  0.508  5.943 237.34  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.517  5.874 243.59

Newberry slows from qualifying but has plenty to put Branch in the trailer. Newberry has Bucky Austin in round two and does not have lane choice.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Roger Bateman       5.857 247.29  Q    6 Steve Harker        5.803 245.54
                  0.473  6.103 224.21  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.500  5.878 240.38

Bateman was first off the line but can't hold off Harker. Harker will race Von Smith in the second round with Smith getting lane choice.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Larry Miner         5.838 238.98  Q    7 Vern Moats          5.816 243.81
                  0.475  5.905 238.76  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.510  5.857 243.46

This was a close one. Miner got the lead at the hit but Moats drove by before the finish. Margin of victory = 0.013 seconds (approximately 5 feet). Payne has lane choice over Moats in the second round.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Dale VanGundy III   6.050 230.84  Q    1 Pat Austin          5.728 249.72
                  0.614  6.124 231.64  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.515  5.776 248.71

This one finishes the session and it's Pat Austin holding form from qualifying. VanGundy was late and any chance to catch Austin was out the window. Austin has lane choice over Gasparrelli in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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