Sun, 09 Feb 2014, 16:21 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  729 Nick Januik                           799 Sean Bellemeur               
E2                   0.075 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.035  5.685 258.07
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Westerfiel) 0.086  5.715 253.33      (B Williamson) 0.039  5.848 187.83
 Qualified:             #4  5.599 255.87                       #12  5.686 258.42

12:59 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 29.05 inches, adjusted altitude 1,834 feet, track temperature 70 degrees.

This is the first time Januik and Bellemeur have faced each other in eliminations and Januik's first time in round two in TAFC.

Bellemeur from start to finish. Clean and straight to take the win.

Januik was a little late off the line and pulling hard. He pulled ahead before the 330 lights and then the Impala moved steadily towards the center line. He worked the pedal and steering wheel a bunch and still clipped the 1000 foot reflector to DQ the run.

Sean Bellemeur's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.007), 330 ft(-0.075), 660ft(-0.033), 1,000ft(-0.024). MOV: 0.0394 seconds (approximately 13 feet).

Nick Januik's incremental times: 60ft-0.936 sec., 330ft-2.450, 660ft-3.664/198.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.749.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.565, 660ft-3.737/255.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.813.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  800 Ulf Leanders                            8 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.675 241.24                     0.088 No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Lindberg  ) 0.064  5.857 258.27      (T Ruckman   ) 0.048  5.758 252.76
 Qualified:            #14  5.800 257.09                       #11  5.650 260.16

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

Wild passes!

Leanders is away first and looks to be flying to a easy win. Right before the lights, the engine goes bang.

Gasparrelli had a better sixty foot time, but spun the tires early. He pumped and then had the car dart towards the center line and nail the 330 reflector.

Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.982 sec., 330ft-2.572, 660ft-3.775/207.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.790.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   68 Clint Thompson                          7 Jay Payne                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.088 11.169  76.17                    -0.028  5.681 258.91
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Woznichak ) 0.049  5.580 257.58                     0.169  6.942 130.28
 Qualified:             #8  5.622 251.02                        #1  5.546 262.13

Each driver has won twice against the other in round two. Payne is 8 - 3 against Thompson in prior events.

Big time shake and spin for Thompson and a broken pass. He has the luck though, as Payne gets a big red light.

He races Bellemeur in round three, but won't have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   64 Brian Hough                             2 John Lombardo Jr.            
E2   ****WINNER****  0.045  5.564 257.24                     0.059  6.273 168.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (G Hunter    ) 0.050  5.674 239.74      (B Harrington) 0.112  5.712 259.71
 Qualified:            #10  5.635 254.66                        #2  5.567 262.90

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

Great ol' race to wrap up the round. Hough is away first and slowly pulling ahead until near the 660 lights, where Lombardo's engine gives up with a flash and slows. He powers on down the track for his best ET and speed of the weekend.

Brian Hough's incremental margins: 60ft(0.030), 330 ft(0.057), 660ft(0.096), 1,000ft(0.332). MOV: 0.7233 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.946 sec., 330ft-2.468, 660ft-3.665/205.85 mph, 1,000ft-4.691.
John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.511, 660ft-3.747/190.48 mph, 1,000ft-5.009.

1:16 p.m. He races Leanders next round with lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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