Sat, 09 Nov 2013, 13:43 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   69 Clint Thompson                          2 Tony Bartone                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  5.560 260.41                     0.070 16.233  67.15
 Qualified:             #8  5.563 259.91                        #9  5.568 263.00

10:13 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 28.96 inches, adjusted altitude 2,386 feet, track temperature 85 degrees.

This is the quickest 16-car field in TAFC history. Mark Woznichak's record bump spot ET earned Harold Owens a nice payday in the Bump Time Pool. He was last seen celebrating at the In-N-Out on Foothill Drive.

Thompson is 1 - 0 against Bartone in prior events.

Thompson made it 2-0, Bartone with severe tire shake on the launch.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  800 Ulf Leanders                          799 Sean Bellemeur               
E1                   0.131  5.952 261.88     ****WINNER****  0.035  5.644 257.04
 Qualified:             #7  5.563 265.06                       #10  5.572 258.37

This time it was the left lane car that went into severe tire shake on the launch, Leander s backpedaling a couple of times to regain traction.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  766 Jason Rupert                          237 Von Smith                    
E1                   0.066  5.598 259.16     ****WINNER****  0.053  5.586 259.51
 Qualified:            #11  5.589 259.36                        #6  5.561 260.36

This was a very close drag race, Rupert with the early lead, then Smith taking charge. Von Smith's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.006), 330 ft(0.006), 660ft(0.015), 1,000ft(0.021). MOV: 0.0253 seconds (approximately 10 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Jay Payne                              10 Shane Westerfield            
E1                   0.075  5.838 226.85     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.525 261.32
 Qualified:             #5  5.544 260.71                       #12  5.596 260.16

Payne got out of the groove and tiptoed down the centerline. He didn't cross the line, but that slowed him and Westerfield advances.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  568 Cody Perkins                            9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.041  5.645 258.71                     0.070  5.621 258.76
 Qualified:             #4  5.543 260.91                       #13  5.597 260.11

This is the first time Perkins and Gasparrelli have faced each other in eliminations.

Perkins did a great job of driving to win this one, his car making a sudden move toward the centerline near half track. He muscled it back without losing momentum and held on for the holeshot win.

Cody Perkins' incremental margins: 60ft(0.049), 330 ft(0.034), 660ft(0.013), 1,000ft(0.006). MOV: 0.0052 seconds (approximately 24 inches). He faces Westerfield in round two, Westerfield has lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                             7 Kris Hool                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.508 266.69                     0.060  5.683 256.26
 Qualified:             #3  5.534 264.86                       #14  5.600 260.76

Manzo had visible shake on the launch and still ran low ET of the event. He will have lane choice against Smith in round two. That speed is a track record and the fourth-fastest ever.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 John Lombardo Jr.                     703 Mark Woznichak               
E1                   0.078  5.765 259.21     ****WINNER****  0.096  5.663 258.22
 Qualified:             #1  5.524 261.57                       #16  5.632 251.77

Lombardos car shook and bounced on the launch, getting close to the wall. he had to backpedal and Woznichak ran away from him. "The Woz" faces Thompson in round two, Thompson has lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Annie Whiteley                       6515 Brian Hough                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.095  5.532 259.61                     0.070  5.564 259.86
 Qualified:             #2  5.530 260.01                       #15  5.627 257.73

This is the first time Whiteley and Hough have faced each other in eliminations.

Hough had the better light, but Whiteley caught him just before half track, then pulled ahead for the win.

Annie Whiteley's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.013), 330 ft(-0.008), 660ft(0.001), 1,000ft(0.006). MOV: 0.0076 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

She will have lane choice against Bellemeur in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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