Fri, 16 Apr 2010, 03:06 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Jessica Cherniack Runs 10.037/87.04, Now #1

11:25 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 27.84 inches, adjusted altitude 4,163 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Cherniack is driving a former Mick Snyder car. She was of the throttle before the 330-foot mark.

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Left Lane: Rob Atchison Runs 5.808/250.78, Now #1
Right Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 6.432/178.12, Now #2

Bellemeur was skating around early in this pass.

Rob Atchison's incremental times: 60ft-1.007 sec., 330ft-2.603, 660ft-3.851/198.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.911.

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Left Lane: Larry Miner Runs 6.015/225.11, Now #3
Right Lane: Ken Webster Runs 5.850/249.76, Now #2

Miner moved to the right of the groove at about 300 feet.

Ken Webster's incremental times: 60ft-1.001 sec., 330ft-2.623, 660ft-3.881/197.08 mph, 1,000ft-4.949.

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Left Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 5.762/254.38, Now #1
Right Lane: Ron August Jr Runs 9.615/142.32, Now #6

August shook hard on the hit and he lifted. A good looking pass for Thompson.

Clint Thompson's incremental times: 60ft-0.973 sec., 330ft-2.581, 660ft-3.827/200.38 mph, 1,000ft-4.877.

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Left Lane: Keeter Ray Runs 5.807/249.49, Now #2
Right Lane: Mark Woznichak Runs 8.785/114.44, Now #7

Woznichak chattered the tires for the first 200 feet.

Keeter Ray's incremental times: 60ft-1.026 sec., 330ft-2.607, 660ft-3.847/199.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.907.

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Left Lane: Charles McLaws Runs 6.365/222.03, Now #7
Right Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 6.024/244.16, Now #6

Both cars were moving around a little, but it didn't look too bad from here.

Charles McLaws' incremental times: 60ft-0.996 sec., 330ft-2.740, 660ft-4.159/175.78 mph, 1,000ft-5.355.
Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-1.005 sec., 330ft-2.670, 660ft-3.998/189.50 mph, 1,000ft-5.100.

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Left Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.784/250.13, Now #2
Right Lane: Daniel Oliver Runs 7.283/136.62, Now #10

Oliver couldn't keep his car in the groove. He pedaled it a couple times before he lifted.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.998 sec., 330ft-2.577, 660ft-3.824/197.77 mph, 1,000ft-4.886.

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Left Lane: Todd Veney Runs 6.490/214.28, Now #10
Right Lane: Brian Thiel Runs 11.383/101.13, Now #15

Thiel lost traction almost immediately. No apparent problems for Veney but his performance was off.

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Left Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.788/253.33, Now #3
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.966/246.30, Now #7

Bartone was all over his lane but he stayed on the throttle.

Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.579, 660ft-3.837/198.50 mph, 1,000ft-4.897.
Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-1.020 sec., 330ft-2.669, 660ft-3.957/192.93 mph, 1,000ft-5.050.

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Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 26.440/24.85, Now #19
Right Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 5.793/240.00, Now #4

Instant shake and smoke for Gordon. Lombardo was trailing smoke after the finish line.

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.553, 660ft-3.793/199.14 mph, 1,000ft-4.866.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 9.775/87.50, Now #17
Right Lane: Sean O'Bannon No Time, Now #21

Traction troubles for both drivers, and O'Bannon rolled through the beams before the tree was activated.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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