Fri, 7 Nov 2003, 09:15 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Mark Woznichak Runs 5.647/253.66, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.726/247.34, Was #12
Right Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 8.481/105.21, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.775/246.30, Was #15

4:49 PM The sun is behind the grand stands and the temperature is falling fast. This is the final session for the Alcohol Funnycars. This first pair is in the show but both would like to make the top half. The Woz wanders all over the lane but still records the best ET of his career. Thompson has problems and can only hope he doesn't get bumped.

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Left Lane: Robert Lee Runs 6.060/247.25, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.679/254.42, Was #7
Right Lane: John Weaver Runs 5.735/248.84, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.690/249.81, Was #9

Lee's car was flat from the time it left the line. Can't say for certain but perhaps he didn't leave in low? Weaver fails to improve but should stay in the show with no problem.

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Left Lane: Dennis Taylor Runs 5.741/249.49, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.701/250.27, Was #10
Right Lane: Shawn Jones Runs 5.742/248.84, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.751/249.67, Was #14

This was almost an identical pair of runs. Jones was all over the right lane after half track but still moves up one spot. Taylor went straight but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Bob Gallio Runs 7.919/118.50, Now #22; Best prior run: 6.038/238.76, Was #22
Right Lane: Bucky Austin Runs 7.373/124.88, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.619/256.70, Was #1

Bob Gallio will have to make his career best pass to crack this tough field. Gallio uses up all of the left lane and has to finally lift. Austin may have seen him coming at some point and he lifted as well.

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Left Lane: Fran Monaghan Runs 6.212/174.91, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.822/243.99, Was #17
Right Lane: Ed Marx Runs 5.692/253.61, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.630/256.60, Was #2

Monaghan looked to be on a pretty nice pass until there was a boom and a flash of fire from the car. The burst panel went high into the night sky and he slowed immediately. That was the last chance so he's not going to ake the show. Marx runs 5.692 and he slows from his prior round.

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Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.646/248.39, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.798/247.34, Was #16
Right Lane: Mert Littlefield Runs 5.734/248.66, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.749/248.43, Was #14

It's full dark now after the clean up in the left lane. Gordon would like to move off the bubble as I believe there are still a couple of cars that could bump him out. Well, he's off the bump. All over the lane, but off the bump. The funnycars are looking really loose out there. Littlefield betters his best time just a bit but remains #14.

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Left Lane: Henry Coolidge Runs 5.814/248.39, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.847/250.37, Was #18
Right Lane: Ron August Jr Runs 5.755/236.88, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.720/242.10, Was #13

Coolidge JUST misses the show. He went straighter than any car in the left lane this session but falls just a little short. August slows from his best time and remains #13.

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Left Lane: Bernie Harrington Runs 5.956/240.64, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.946/241.41, Was #20
Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.620/257.97, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.857/250.32, Was #19

This is two cars that you don't expect to see fighting to get into the show in the final session, but here they are. Harrington goes straight but just now quick enough. Gasparrelli pulls one out and goes all the way to #2. Talk about a last ditch effort. That bumped Thompson and puts Jones on the bubble.

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Left Lane: Vern Moats Runs 5.628/249.07, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.677/249.63, Was #8
Right Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.599/256.26, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.641/253.66, Was #5

We have a new #1 qualifier. Payne becomes the first into the 5.5s here this weekend and takes over the top spot. Moats was straight but got closer and closer to the center stripe as he neared the finish. He didn't lift and goes all the way to #4. Now that's a nice pair.

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Left Lane: Tate Branch Runs 5.626/252.47, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.630/252.28, Was #6

Branch picks up a couple of spots on his single. This is the quickest field in history and getting tougher by the pass. We have one car to go and Williamson will close out a very quick session.

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Left Lane: Bret Williamson Runs 23.862/40.06, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.704/247.07, Was #13

Williamson launches and spun one tire hard. He turned left and was off the pedal inside of 30 feet. Hope that's not an omen for the Alcohol Dragsters.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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