Thu, 09 Feb 2017, 19:37 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Cody Perkins Runs 6.133/249.03, Now #1

3:57 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 28.85 inches, adjusted altitude 3,093 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

The track is starting to cool quickly as the sun starts to drop.

Perkins' Firebird shakes off the line and he has to slap the pedal. He is quickly back on the throttle and runs it on through to put a number up on the boards.

Cody Perkins' incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.839, 660ft-4.147/193.79 mph, 1,000ft-5.228.

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Left Lane: Bret Williamson Runs 5.772/248.66, Now #2
Right Lane: Chip Beverett Runs 5.760/256.89, Now #1

Beverett uses a lot of track getting to the finish line, but still gets there first.

Williamson had better numbers early, but can't match the pace after half track.

Bret Williamson's incremental times: 60ft-0.987 sec., 330ft-2.565, 660ft-3.806/199.64 mph, 1,000ft-4.868.
Chip Beverett's incremental times: 60ft-0.974 sec., 330ft-2.597, 660ft-3.839/201.64 mph, 1,000ft-4.882.

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Left Lane: Mike Doushgounian Runs 6.005/252.57, Now #4
Right Lane: Chris Marshall Runs 5.704/256.84, Now #1

MIkey D gets off the line first and then has some tire spin. Sounded like a quick slap and then clean to near the lights, where there is a bang from the engine.

Marshall runs strong and straight into the new top spot.

Mike Doushgounian's incremental times: 60ft-1.015 sec., 330ft-2.740, 660ft-4.042/195.51 mph, 1,000ft-5.112.
Chris Marshall's incremental times: 60ft-0.978 sec., 330ft-2.588, 660ft-3.809/204.35 mph, 1,000ft-4.838.

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Left Lane: Ulf Leanders Runs 6.712/137.79, Now #7
Right Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 5.668/260.06, Now #1

Bellemeur is in a new 2017 Camaro and powers to the finish line for another new #1 spot.

Leanders was very strong off the line and then has the blower go Boom well before half track.

Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.980 sec., 330ft-2.509, 660ft-3.813/170.43 mph, 1,000ft-5.223.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.998 sec., 330ft-2.553, 660ft-3.771/202.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.799.

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Left Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.552/264.39, Now #1
Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.854/207.56, Now #6

4:04 p.m. Time for some dusting and cleaning on the top end.

4:15 p.m. The call goes out to start the engines.

Hough gets a big starting line advantage and drives hard to the finish line for our first Fifty pass of the weekend and the new top spot.

Gasparrelli was on a strong pass until near half track, where the Camaro made a move towards the center line.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.496, 660ft-3.686/208.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.699.
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.991 sec., 330ft-2.554, 660ft-3.758/206.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.823.

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Left Lane: DJ Cox Jr. Runs 10.854/117.09, Now #11
Right Lane: Terry Ruckman Runs 5.649/251.06, Now #2

Cox's Camaro shakes and spins hard off the line and he had to lift.

Ruckman leave hard and runs strong to near the lights. There is a flash/bang from the engine and a little fire stuff on the track.

4:20 p.m. Just a little clean up.

DJ Cox Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-1.160 sec., 330ft-4.236, 660ft-6.806/098.00 mph, 1,000ft-8.973.
Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.540, 660ft-3.744/205.57 mph, 1,000ft-4.770.

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Left Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.603/266.95, Now #2
Right Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 5.951/189.34, Now #9

4:22 p.m. That didn't take long!

Dueling pedal slaps. Westerfield hit his around the 300 lights and powers on down into the new #2 spot.

Lombardo has at least two pedals down track and it costs him.

Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.968 sec., 330ft-2.547, 660ft-3.747/207.72 mph, 1,000ft-4.756.
John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.524, 660ft-3.714/208.04 mph, 1,000ft-4.830.

4:24 p.m. More work to get Lombardo off the track on the top end.

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Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.513/268.71, Now #1
Right Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 12.318/101.57, Now #15

Lindberg is driving Jay Payne's car until he debuts in the Head FC at Gainesville. The tires are up in smoke at the hit.

Gordon has no problems and thunders on down the track into the final number one spot of the session. Nice!

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.494, 660ft-3.675/210.77 mph, 1,000ft-4.673.

4:29 p.m. Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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