Fri, 10 Feb 2017, 18:02 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Mike Drake Runs 6.249/236.22, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: DJ Cox Jr. Runs 5.471/268.17, Now #1; Best prior run: 10.854/117.09, Was #14

2:33 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 70 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 2,368 feet, track temperature 77 degrees.

Doug Gordon is number one at 5.513. Field not filled, no bump spot.

Cox gets it all together this time and runs right on up into the top of the field.

Drake moves into the field to give us 16 cars.

Mike Drake's incremental times: 60ft-1.181 sec., 330ft-2.897, 660ft-4.221/189.95 mph, 1,000ft-5.323.
DJ Cox Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.464, 660ft-3.634/212.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.631.

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Left Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 5.583/259.11, Now #4; Best prior run: 12.318/101.57, Was #16
Right Lane: Ulf Leanders Runs 8.308/108.56, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.712/137.79, Was #15

Jonnie Lindberg is on the bump spot at 12.318 and looking to move up. He Gets a full pass this time and runs well into the top four for now.

Leanders' Camaro gets way loose off the line and he has to lift.

Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.982 sec., 330ft-2.523, 660ft-3.710/208.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.721.

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Left Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 5.483/268.60, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.951/189.34, Was #12
Right Lane: Cody Perkins Runs 29.896/217.18, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.133/249.03, Was #14

Perkins spins the tires hard at the green.

Great looking pass for Lombardo this time and he takes over the new number two spot.

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.474, 660ft-3.650/211.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.645.

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Left Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.568/263.72, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.854/207.56, Was #12
Right Lane: Mike Doushgounian Runs 6.551/163.99, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.005/252.57, Was #13

Micky D takes the long way down. The Monte Carlo gets out of the groove early and keeps making moves towards the wall going down the track.

Full pass for Gasparrelli this time and he moves seven spots up the ladder to the new number five spot.

Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.952 sec., 330ft-2.508, 660ft-3.701/208.46 mph, 1,000ft-4.714.
Mike Doushgounian's incremental times: 60ft-1.021 sec., 330ft-2.635, 660ft-3.945/185.31 mph, 1,000ft-5.248.

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Left Lane: Chip Beverett Runs 11.607/61.83, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.760/256.89, Was #11
Right Lane: Bret Williamson Runs 5.709/252.99, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.772/248.66, Was #12

Williamson uses a lot of track getting to the finish line, but he still picks up a spot to #11.

Beverett is in traction trouble early and lifts.

Bret Williamson's incremental times: 60ft-0.988 sec., 330ft-2.545, 660ft-3.773/202.12 mph, 1,000ft-4.820.

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Left Lane: Chris Marshall Runs 7.927/113.97, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.704/256.84, Was #10
Right Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.544/268.38, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.603/266.95, Was #7

Marshall leaves hard and then has the back of the car get loose and we get to see both sides on the Camaro going down the track. He wisely clicks it early.

Westerfield was away first and makes another clean pass, picking up three spots.

Chris Marshall's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.591, 660ft-4.295/129.75 mph, 1,000ft-6.092.
Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.509, 660ft-3.701/208.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.703.

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Left Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 6.100/187.65, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.668/260.06, Was #9
Right Lane: Brian Hough Runs 17.413/62.10, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.552/264.39, Was #5

Bellemeur has a strong leave and then starts to move around on the track. After half track the car drives hard towards the wall and he has to lift to save the shiny.

Hough is up in smoke at the green and won't improve.

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Left Lane: Terry Ruckman Runs 10.659/87.17, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.649/251.06, Was #8
Right Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.517/269.13, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.513/268.71, Was #3

Hard leave for Ruckman, but the car drives right towards the wall. He lifts and coasts on down.

Gordon makes another strong pass and picks up a little speed and loses a little ET to stay number three.

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.491, 660ft-3.678/209.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.678.

2:56 p.m. Cox is number one at 5.471 and Ulf Leanders is on the bump spot at 6.712.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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