Sun, 20 Mar 2005, 09:49 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 36th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Mark Billington                        53 Vern Moats                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.120  5.682 254.59                     0.154  5.769 250.06
 Qualified:             #9  5.773 252.88                        #8  5.697 252.80

9:24 a.m. Neither will brag about their reaction time, but Moats did not have enough under the hood to run Billington down. Mark Billington's MOV: 0.1215 seconds (approximately 45 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  365 Bobby Martin                            5 Bob Newberry                 
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.173  5.580 259.06
 Qualified:            #10  5.788 225.96                        #7  5.664 255.82

Martin was a no-show, but against this run it probably didn't matter. Newberry went right down the groove for a shot at lane choice next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  136 Jim Sickles                          1224 David Ray                    
E1                   0.082  5.774 243.57     ****WINNER****  0.113  5.565 258.24
 Qualified:            #12  5.818 242.32                        #5  5.650 253.87

Ray spotted Sickles a couple car lengths and Sickles' Roots blower car gave Ray a good race to half track, but he could not stay with the screw blower on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  162 Jeff McCulloch                          6 Tate Branch                  
E1                   0.065  6.248 217.23     ****WINNER****  0.077  5.704 255.82
 Qualified:            #14  6.181 225.00                        #3  5.564 257.58

McCulloch was well back before raw fuel came from his pipes around the 1,000-foot marker. Branch could not match his career-best pace from last night, but he's coming back next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Mick Snyder                            33 Danny Townsend               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.108  5.701 247.25                     0.068  5.750 254.23
 Qualified:             #6  5.650 250.83                       #11  5.796 248.13

Townsend had the better light, but he was in deep and Snyder was in shallow, making up the difference before the 60-foot mark. Snyder led all the way, but Townsend was closing fast on the other end. Mick Snyder's incremental margins: 60ft(0.022), 330 ft(0.043), 660ft(0.041), 1,000ft(0.026). MOV: 0.0092 seconds (approximately 3 feet). Snyder has lane choice over Branch by 0.003 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  135 Billy Gibson                            2 Jay Payne                    
E1                   0.094  5.820 245.76     ****WINNER****  0.080  5.673 250.48
 Qualified:            #13  5.943 243.04                        #4  5.574 260.04

Payne's car faltered a bit on the launch, Gibson actually ahead at the 60-foot mark, but then it was all Payne, ahead by two car lengths at the line. However, he lost lane choice to Ray in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Cy Chesterman                         204 Bobby Martindale             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.099  5.578 257.73                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #2  5.560 259.81                       #15  9.576  90.94

Chesterman was a no-show. Chesterman made a nice run to earn lane choice against Newberry - by 0.002 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
        Bye                                   3 Frank Manzo                  
E1                                                            1.196 No Time      
 Qualified:                                                       #1  5.523 260.94

Manzo had some medical problems after his run last night and did not receive medical clearance to drive this morning, so he is a no-show and Billington gets a bye in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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