Sat, 1 Nov 2008, 09:58 PM Pro Modified Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Eighth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals 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: Scott Bailey No Time, Now #22; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tony Pontieri Runs 10.447/83.22, Now #21; Best prior run: 7.912/123.34, Was #21

5:56 p.m. Bailey broke in the staging lanes. Pontieri needs to qualify or Joshua Hernandez is the season champion. Pontieri got about 250 feet out when the car made a move toward the wall and he had to lift.

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Left Lane: Tim Tindle Runs 6.119/233.52, Now #10; Best prior run: 7.134/197.33, Was #20
Right Lane: Steve Matusek Runs 7.015/208.49, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.991/216.48, Was #19

Matusek was all over his lane. Tindle bumps into the field.

Tim Tindle's incremental times: 60ft-1.029 sec., 330ft-2.689, 660ft-4.020/185.61mph, 1,000ft-5.157

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Left Lane: Chip King Runs 6.257/228.27, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.246/229.51, Was #16
Right Lane: Rick Stivers Runs 6.129/233.24, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.976/157.15, Was #19

Both cars were moving around quite a bit.

Chip King's incremental times: 60ft-1.030 sec., 330ft-2.753, 660ft-4.116/182.30mph, 1,000ft-5.275
Rick Stivers' incremental times: 60ft-1.006 sec., 330ft-2.691, 660ft-4.029/185.74mph, 1,000ft-5.166

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Left Lane: Billy Harper Runs 6.163/225.71, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.232/224.96, Was #15
Right Lane: Mike Moran Runs 6.117/245.99, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.276/241.20, Was #19

Moran was to the left of the groove on the top half, but he stayed on the throttle all the way down the track. A good looking pass for Harper.

Billy Harper's incremental times: 60ft-0.999 sec., 330ft-2.673, 660ft-4.010/182.85mph, 1,000ft-5.171
Mike Moran's incremental times: 60ft-1.066 sec., 330ft-2.785, 660ft-4.101/190.54mph, 1,000ft-5.199

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Left Lane: Mike Knowles Runs 6.163/232.91, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.182/233.40, Was #16
Right Lane: Scott Ray Runs 6.129/232.87, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.268/219.65, Was #19

No major problems and both drivers improve their ladder positions.

Mike Knowles' incremental times: 60ft-0.997 sec., 330ft-2.692, 660ft-4.043/183.27mph, 1,000ft-5.195
Scott Ray's incremental times: 60ft-1.042 sec., 330ft-2.683, 660ft-4.016/184.22mph, 1,000ft-5.163

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Left Lane: Joe Baker Runs 6.147/232.07, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.170/231.95, Was #17
Right Lane: Dennis Radford Runs 12.217/67.86, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.245/226.58, Was #18

Radford was out of the groove just past the tree and he lifted. Baker was to the left of the groove on the top half of the track.

Joe Baker's incremental times: 60ft-1.022 sec., 330ft-2.696, 660ft-4.026/184.35mph, 1,000ft-5.178

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Left Lane: Kirk Kuhns Runs 6.118/231.52, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.116/232.71, Was #9
Right Lane: Tommy Gray Runs 6.128/236.63, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.151/235.31, Was #15

A good looking pair as both drivers kept their cars going fairly straight.

Kirk Kuhns' incremental times: 60ft-1.003 sec., 330ft-2.662, 660ft-4.002/185.00mph, 1,000ft-5.148
Tommy Gray's incremental times: 60ft-1.021 sec., 330ft-2.703, 660ft-4.040/185.61mph, 1,000ft-5.175

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 6.149/230.88, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.099/233.12, Was #8
Right Lane: Rick Distefano Runs 10.080/86.56, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.096/232.31, Was #7

Distefano was fishtailing early and he had to ease off.

Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-1.030 sec., 330ft-2.689, 660ft-4.029/184.07mph, 1,000ft-5.177

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Left Lane: Troy Coughlin Runs 6.663/182.62, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.064/234.74, Was #5
Right Lane: Taylor Lastor Runs 10.083/87.26, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.095/235.19, Was #6

Lastor was off the throttle before the 330-foot mark, the reason not apparent from here. Coughlin lifted early too.

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Left Lane: Kenny Lang Runs 6.073/233.80, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.057/237.17, Was #4
Right Lane: Danny Rowe Runs 6.096/236.92, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.034/237.96, Was #2

A good looking pass for both drivers.

Kenny Lang's incremental times: 60ft-1.006 sec., 330ft-2.652, 660ft-3.975/186.36mph, 1,000ft-5.112
Danny Rowe's incremental times: 60ft-1.022 sec., 330ft-2.693, 660ft-4.020/187.03mph, 1,000ft-5.146

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Left Lane: Joshua Hernandez Runs 6.015/236.75, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.053/238.93, Was #3
Right Lane: Raymond Commisso Runs 6.211/234.86, Now #1; Best prior run: 6.012/239.87, Was #1

Hernandez tried to take the top qualifying spot away from Commisso, but he fell just a little short.

Joshua Hernandez's incremental times: 60ft-0.991 sec., 330ft-2.623, 660ft-3.940/188.17mph, 1,000ft-5.065
Raymond Commisso's incremental times: 60ft-1.094 sec., 330ft-2.775, 660ft-4.117/184.93mph, 1,000ft-5.254

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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