Sat, 9 Oct 2004, 05:33 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1224 David Ray                            1427 Craig English
E1   ****WINNER****  0.121  5.699 252.66                     0.455 14.930  27.37
 Qualified:             #4  5.685 252.10                       #13  5.923 240.34

4:46 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 29.50 inches, adjusted altitude 1,578 feet, track temperature 80 degrees.

English had a late start then shook the tires hard and his chutes popped out at mid track. Ray shook the tires too and was a little loose but he drove through it for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  303 Todd Veney                            125 Eric Lourie
E1   ****WINNER****  0.050  5.758 250.55                     0.086  5.982 243.72
 Qualified:             #9  5.827 247.38                        #8  5.820 245.72

Both cars shook the tires when they launched but Lourie shook them more. Veney had the quicker reaction time and increased his lead the entire way down the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   38 Bobby Martin                           15 Mickey Ferro
E1                   0.119  5.985 211.43     ****WINNER****  0.200  5.725 250.83
 Qualified:            #10  5.849 244.96                        #7  5.765 245.00

Both drivers went right down the middle of their lanes. Ferro was second off the starting line and was trailing ay the 330-foot mark but then pulled ahead to take the lead and the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  137 Chris Brown                            24 Paul Lee
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.221  5.817 250.83
 Qualified:            #17  7.350 135.50                        #6  5.725 251.39

Brown did not qualify for this race but made it into eliminations as an alternate for Billy Gibson. He made his burnout but when he did, the throttle hung up and he had to shut the car down. Brown was not able to get the car off the track, so he pulled it against the wall and got out while Lee made a single pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1509 Dan Pomponio                          207 Bruce Mullins
E1   ****WINNER****  0.158 11.126  74.37                           No Time
 Qualified:            #12  5.881 242.98                        #5  5.712 245.99

Mullins did his burnout and when he backed up to stage, his crew just pushed the car back and away from the starting line because he was leaking fluid. Pomponio shook the tires when he launched and backed off the throttle but it didn't matter as he had the easy win. He gave up lane choice to Ray in the next round. There will be another delay as the track crews clean up after Mullins' spill.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  111 Frank Schuster                          4 Bob Newberry
E1                   0.234  5.964 239.10     ****WINNER****  0.313  5.654 254.14
 Qualified:            #14  5.991 239.19                        #3  5.678 251.81

Neither driver had a good reaction time but Schuster's was the best of the pair. He was ahead at 60 feet but then Newberry got by him to take the win. Newberry will have lane choice over Lee in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 Paul Gill                             162 Jeff McCulloch
E1   ****WINNER****  0.307  5.712 249.03                     0.143  6.476 160.59
 Qualified:             #2  5.648 256.45                       #15  6.095 236.34

Gill staged deep and then had a 0.307 light. He was losing this race at the 660-foot mark but then pulled ahead of McCulloch to get the win. Gill will have lane choice over Ferro in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  110 Darrel Cox                              1 Frank Manzo
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.140  5.584 257.63
 Qualified:            #16  6.100 220.37                        #1  5.580 258.76

Cox was a no show so Manzo had a competition single for the win. He'll have lane choice over Veney in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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