Sun, 16 Mar 2003, 01:51 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 34th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Chuck Cheeseman                         7 Marc White
E2   ****WINNER****  0.048  5.654 251.18                     0.092  5.687 248.96
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Carlson   ) 0.125  5.658 253.02      (M Ferro     ) 0.091  5.694 251.60
 Qualified:             #4  5.689 252.59                        #5  5.738 248.34

12:35 PM Current weather conditions: 72 degrees, 71 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.89 inches, with a track temperature of 110 degrees.

Cheeseman left first and was never headed, despite what appeared to be an early chute. The chute deployed before the finish line, but didn't "hit" until he was at the line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  545 Thomas Frickenschmidt                   8 Bob Newberry
E2                  -0.103 11.109  99.73     ****WINNER****  0.133  5.657 253.59
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Lee       ) 0.063  5.940 242.78                     0.147  5.670 253.95
 Qualified:             #9  5.871 245.16                        #1  5.618 255.24

Frickenschmidt was way early and Newberry got a freebie. Nice run by Newberry, who had a bye run in the first round. He will race Cheeseman in the semifinals, Cheeseman with lane choice by three thousandths of a second.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Jeff Craig                             53 Vern Moats
E2   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.749 252.73                     0.066  5.859 242.71
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Gambino   ) 0.085  5.704 253.16      (S Woodington) 0.138  5.703 252.38
 Qualified:             #6  5.743 252.59                        #3  5.662 252.45

Craig left just before Moats, but the big difference in this race came when Moats got out of the groove at mid track, losing ground to Craig's down-the-groove run.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  136 Jim Sickles                            52 Cy Chesterman
E2                   0.058  5.767 248.55     ****WINNER****  0.024  5.657 254.66
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Billington) 0.108  5.772 250.97      (L Bakke     ) 0.067  5.737 247.66
 Qualified:             #7  5.809 249.03                        #2  5.637 253.95

Chesterman was sharp on the tree and ran the third winning 5.65 of the round. He will face Craig in the semifinals and will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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