Sat, 12 Nov 2016, 17:23 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 52nd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Shane Westerfield                       3 Annie Whiteley               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.506 268.49                     0.087  5.884 190.89
 Qualified:             #8  5.500 253.37                        #9  5.522 270.92

1:57 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 8 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 2,970 feet, track temperature 112 degrees.

Whiteley is a little late off the line, she has better numbers down low, but smoke from the engine down track spelled he r doom.

Westerfield runs close to his qualifying time for the easy win.

Shane Westerfield's MOV: 0.4326 seconds (more than 100 feet).b

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   76 Terry Ruckman                         597 Greg Hunter                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.029  5.682 260.86                     0.016  6.038 178.80
 Qualified:             #7  5.500 267.53                       #10  5.524 258.96

Ruckman's Camaro makes a move towards the wall and looked to be in trouble,

Hunter was away first and pulling ahead until after the 660 lights. The car gets loose and he has to lift. Ruckman ducks a bullit.

Terry Ruckman's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.010), 330 ft(-0.032), 660ft(-0.102), 1,000ft(0.026). MOV: 0.3432 seconds (approximately 90 feet).

Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.494, 660ft-3.768/197.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.814.
Greg Hunter's incremental times: 60ft-0.952 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.679/208.81 mph, 1,000ft-4.853.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Steve Gasparrelli                     800 Ulf Leanders                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.043  5.520 263.51                     0.071  5.763 246.71
 Qualified:            #11  5.541 263.77                        #6  5.498 265.69

Upset! Gasparrelli gets a big starting line advantage and pulls steadily ahead for a decisive win over a slowing Leanders.

Steve Gasparrelli's incremental margins: 60ft(0.035), 330 ft(0.081), 660ft(0.154), 1,000ft(0.215). MOV: 0.2711 seconds (approximately 98 feet).

Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.466, 660ft-3.652/208.20 mph, 1,000ft-4.666.
Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.519, 660ft-3.778/197.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.853.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 John Lombardo Jr.                      10 Jay Payne                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.074  5.499 268.97                     0.012  5.612 260.76
 Qualified:             #5  5.483 270.16                       #12  5.560 259.21

Payne gets a huge starting line advantage and leads Lombardo until right before half track. NAPA power takes over and Lombardo drives on by for the win.

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.021), 330 ft(-0.020), 660ft(0.006), 1,000ft(0.030). MOV: 0.0515 seconds (approximately 20 feet).

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.499, 660ft-3.672/211.79 mph, 1,000ft-4.663.
Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.994 sec., 330ft-2.541, 660ft-3.740/207.11 mph, 1,000ft-4.755.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 DJ Cox Jr.                           6345 Clint Thompson               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.089  5.509 266.90                     0.100  5.538 263.46
 Qualified:             #4  5.479 268.28                       #13  5.566 262.90

Great race. Cox gets a starting line advantage and then takes the long way down the track, move from right to left and back again to get to the finish line first.

thompson makes his best pass of the weekend by a lot to no avail.

DJ Cox Jr.'s incremental margins: 60ft(0.028), 330 ft(0.009), 660ft(0.021), 1,000ft(0.030). MOV: 0.0407 seconds (approximately 16 feet).

DJ Cox Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.483, 660ft-3.664/209.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.665.
Clint Thompson's incremental times: 60ft-0.964 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.674/208.17 mph, 1,000ft-4.684.

Lombardo will have lane choice next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  883 Johan Lindberg                        799 Sean Bellemeur               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.490 258.07                     0.016 14.825  46.67
 Qualified:             #3  5.478 262.85                       #14  5.574 259.96

Lindberg is clean and straight to the finish line and an easy win.

Bellemeur was ready and post a great 0.16 light, but the tire are shaking hard right after that. He has to give it up and coast.

Johan Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.463, 660ft-3.637/211.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.638.

Lindberg will have lane choice over Gasparrelli next round

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  433 Bryan Brown                             4 Doug Gordon                  
E1                   0.029  5.549 264.23     ****WINNER****  0.062  5.493 269.24
 Qualified:            #15  5.582 262.23                        #2  5.459 270.05

Brown gets a nice lead off the line and holds off Gordon until right before the 1000 foot light.

Gordon runs close to his prior best to take the close win.

Doug Gordon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.025), 330 ft(-0.026), 660ft(-0.011), 1,000ft(0.008). MOV: 0.0236 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

Bryan Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.489, 660ft-3.685/207.75 mph, 1,000ft-4.697.
Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.946 sec., 330ft-2.482, 660ft-3.663/211.03 mph, 1,000ft-4.656.

He will keep lane choice over Ruckman in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jonnie Lindberg                       729 Nick Januik                  
E1                   0.037  6.081 139.01     ****WINNER****  0.031  5.590 260.86
 Qualified:             #1  5.440 269.73                       #16  5.591 257.28

Lindberg gets a small 0.006 head start and then has to watch Lindberg drive on by before the 60 foot lights.

Lindberg is pulling steadily ahead until after half track and then has the blower go bang and deploy the chutes.

Upset win for Januik. He gives up lane choice to Westerfield in round two.

Nick Januik's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.011), 330 ft(-0.044), 660ft(-0.086), 1,000ft(0.002). MOV: 0.4972 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.452, 660ft-3.612/213.54 mph, 1,000ft-4.723.
Nick Januik's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.502, 660ft-3.704/205.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.727.

2:19 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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