Fri, 20 Feb 2009, 03:46 PM Competition Eliminator Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Darryl Jackman

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Competition Eliminator at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, amount over/under index, and position in order following run, class and class index:

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Left Lane: Steve Holloway Runs 6.996/205.69/-0.174, Now #2 A/AA Index: 7.17
Right Lane: Scott Hedlund Runs 7.776/173.21/-0.634, Now #1 A/SM Index: 8.41

1:13 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 15 percent, barometer 28.82 inches, adjusted altitude 2,655 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

Comp comes out from stage right and we're about to open the first round for these folks. Two good looking runs and Hedlund goes -.634.

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Left Lane: Dean Howerton Runs 7.128/191.08/-0.372, Now #2 C/D Index: 7.50
Right Lane: Art Hodges Runs 12.846/85.89/5.776, Now #4 A/PM Index: 7.07

Hodges chattered the tires hard for the first 50ft and the Stratus tried to go sideways on him. He lifted and the Pro Mod will try again in round 2. Medium run for Howerton.

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Left Lane: Brian Browell Runs 7.272/180.89/-0.548, Now #2 D/D Index: 7.82
Right Lane: Matt Hartford Runs 7.055/164.95/0.015, Now #5 BB/AT Index: 7.04

Browell goes into the #2 spot behind Hedlund. Hartford's ride seems to be injuring it's self all the way down.

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Left Lane: Tom Radeff Runs 7.463/173.83/0.293, Now #7 A/AA Index: 7.17
Right Lane: Frank Nelson Runs 7.250/191.70/0.140, Now #6 A/A Index: 7.11

Neither driver will be happy with these runs.

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Left Lane: Pat Byron Runs 6.959/181.59/-0.541, Now #3 C/D Index: 7.50
Right Lane: Thomas Shambaugh Runs 8.432/173.03/0.532, Now #9 DD/AT Index: 7.90

Byron makes a nice hit in his 'C' Dragster but Shambaugh is over instead of under.

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Left Lane: Bob Hass Runs 7.138/192.88/-0.502, Now #5 B/AA Index: 7.64
Right Lane: Clark Smiley Runs 8.144/166.54/-0.536, Now #4 B/SM Index: 8.68

Another good looking pair of runs.

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Left Lane: Clint Neff Runs 7.893/166.68/-0.657, Now #1 K/A Index: 8.55
Right Lane: Will Hatcher Runs 6.614/205.79/-0.526, Now #6 A/DA Index: 7.14

Neff had the altered bouncing pretty good but to the surprise of many he stops the timers as the #1 qualifier. Hatcher with some nice 'A' Dragster Automatic numbers.

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Left Lane: John Edwards Runs 7.381/182.55/-0.609, Now #3 C/AA Index: 7.99
Right Lane: Shane Gray Runs 6.999/196.10/-0.601, Now #4 B/A Index: 7.60

Two more -.60 numbers. Edwards to three and Gray to four.

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Left Lane: David Beckley Runs 7.539/179.04/-0.441, Now #11 C/A Index: 7.98
Right Lane: Tom Mettler Runs 7.461/182.30/-0.549, Now #5 PST Index: 8.01

Beckley was over close to the wall at the hit but gently pulled the GTO back to the middle. Mettler throws up some nice numbers.

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Left Lane: Bill Kent Runs 12.338/66.36/4.838, Now #19 C/D Index: 7.50
Right Lane: Lou Ficco Runs 7.679/173.21/-0.201, Now #13 B/AP Index: 7.88

Something bad happened to Kent's C/D and he was coasting at around half track. Ficco can only manage a -.20 in the right lane.

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Left Lane: Jim Cowan Runs 8.280/146.43/-0.510, Now #10 I/AA Index: 8.79
Right Lane: Alan Ellis Runs 13.043/91.78/5.783, Now #22 A/AP Index: 7.26

Ellis continues to have problems with his altered and he sputters down track slowly. Cowan with decent numbers in the other lane.

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Left Lane: Ray Goodman Runs 7.539/173.92/-0.331, Now #15 A/EA Index: 7.87
Right Lane: Dean Carter Runs 6.971/189.34/-0.599, Now #5 B/ND Index: 7.57

Carter puts the B/ND in at #5 and Goodman stops the clocks with numbers good enough for #15.

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Left Lane: Doug Lambeck Runs 8.445/158.39/-0.525, Now #12 D/SMA Index: 8.97
Right Lane: Lee Sharp Runs 8.400/161.36/-0.570, Now #6 D/SMA Index: 8.97

A pair of DSMAs make the show with Sharp getting the better of the two runs over Lambeck.

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Left Lane: Justin Lamb Runs 8.970/127.65/-0.390, Now #17 G/SMA Index: 9.36
Right Lane: Todd Patterson Runs 7.730/176.65/-0.630, Now #3 D/A Index: 8.36

Nice hit for Patterson and he takes over the #3 spot in the field. Lamb must have had a few problems as -.39 is only good for #17.

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Left Lane: Joe Mozeris Runs 7.081/188.02/-0.489, Now #17 B/ED Index: 7.57
Right Lane: Mike DePalma Runs 8.121/165.23/-0.649, Now #2 I/A Index: 8.77

Mozeris appeared to hurt some parts as he trailed smoke from half track on. DePalma just misses taking the top spot from Neff.

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Left Lane: Dan Fletcher Runs 8.653/112.45/0.013, Now #24 C/EA Index: 8.64

Fletcher shut the car off early and coasts on through to close the first round of Comp.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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