Sat, 11 Feb 2017, 15:52 PM Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  717 Randy Balough                        766M Paul Gladden                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.008  7.461 175.09                     0.042  6.932 200.41
          TS  Dial: 7.43 (+/-):  0.031              TS  Dial: 6.90 (+/-):  0.032
 Qualified:            #22  7.460 181.62                       #11  6.953 199.82

12:11 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 70 percent, barometer 28.96 inches, adjusted altitude 2,310 feet, track temperature 85 degrees.

Randy Balough's MOV: 0.0357 seconds (approximately 10 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
    2 Don Meziere                          7256 Mera Silvia                  
E1                   0.025  6.904 190.30     ****WINNER****  0.036  7.355 188.04
          TS  Dial: 6.91 (+/-): -0.006              TS  Dial: 7.36 (+/-): -0.005
 Qualified:             #8  6.878 202.70                       #19  7.368 187.86

Mera Silvia's MOV: Double breakout. Just 0.001 difference to their dials.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7151 Jeff Connelly                        6636 Ray Martin                   
E1                   0.012  7.194 188.70     ****WINNER****  0.006  6.830 200.59
          TS  Dial: 7.27 (+/-): -0.076              TS  Dial: 6.84 (+/-): -0.010
 Qualified:            #17  7.272 186.87                        #6  6.841 199.85

Big wiggle off the line by Connelly. Ray Martin takes a six light for the win. MOV: Double breakout.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7840 Gary Forkner                         7377 Jessie Wooton                
E1                  -0.006  6.969 198.50     ****WINNER****  0.018  7.541 175.48
          TS  Dial: 6.96 (+/-):  0.009              TS  Dial: 7.53 (+/-):  0.011
 Qualified:            #12  6.964 197.68                       #23  7.561 176.93

Jessie Wooton's MOV: opponent's -0.006 red light.

He will race Martin later.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  605 Mike Ferderer                        D712 Phil Dion                    
E1                   0.002  7.281 182.33     ****WINNER****  0.028  6.810 204.29
          TS  Dial: 7.30 (+/-): -0.019              TS  Dial: 6.82 (+/-): -0.010
 Qualified:            #18  7.310 185.26                        #7  6.843 202.52

Phil Dion won the battle, but may have lost the war! He takes the win, has the chutes come out, but noses into the sand at the end of the track. No TV, so I can't tell if any significant damage. Dion is out of the car and walking around. MOV: Double breakout. Ferderer had a 0.002 light to no avail.

12:19 p.m.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7197 Marty Castagno                        719 David Armstrong              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.008  7.242 177.67                     0.053  6.838 210.80
          TS  Dial: 7.20 (+/-):  0.042              TS  Dial: 6.81 (+/-):  0.028
 Qualified:            #16  7.237 187.29                        #5  6.818 211.63

12:38 p.m. Back to eliminations.

Great 0.008 light for Marty Castagno and the win MOV: 0.0318 seconds (approximately 10 feet).

Balough will be his race later.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  789 Lynsi Snyder-Ellington               7534 Paul Mitsos                  
E1                   0.081  6.837 199.88     ****WINNER****  0.014  7.337 186.46
          TS  Dial: 6.86 (+/-): -0.023              TS  Dial: 7.34 (+/-): -0.003
 Qualified:             #9  6.890 198.50                       #20  7.369 186.87

Paul Mitsos starts with a nice fourteen light. MOV: Took the stripe by 0.0470 seconds (approximately 14 feet) in a double breakout.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7130 Phil Miller                           757 Jeff Gillette                
E1                  -0.020  7.368 184.95     ****WINNER****  0.016  6.898 201.40
          TS  Dial: 7.41 (+/-): -0.042              TS  Dial: 6.90 (+/-): -0.002
 Qualified:            #21  7.416 184.12                       #10  6.918 201.07

Gillette gets a nice birthday gift, as Miller goes red.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  749 Justin Linares                       7133 Richard Okerman              
E1                  -0.011  6.710 199.82     ****WINNER****  0.031  7.116 194.52
          TS  Dial: 6.68 (+/-):  0.030              TS  Dial: 7.07 (+/-):  0.046
 Qualified:             #3  6.712 205.79                       #14  7.080 194.60

Okerman will races Mitsos later.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7980 Joe Roubicek                            6 Ed Olpin                     
E1                   0.071  6.553 209.95     ****WINNER****  0.019  6.972 198.29
          TS  Dial: 6.55 (+/-):  0.003              TS  Dial: 6.96 (+/-):  0.012
 Qualified:             #2  6.614 208.10                       #13  6.984 197.86

Ed Olpin gets the hole shot win. MOV: 0.0435 seconds (approximately 13 feet).

Silvia will be in the other lane next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 721P Raul Perez                             78 Doug Crumlich                
E1                   0.006  6.754 203.28     ****WINNER****  0.028  7.099 192.99
          TS  Dial: 6.72 (+/-):  0.034              TS  Dial: 7.09 (+/-):  0.009
 Qualified:             #4  6.746 202.39                       #15  7.174 191.54

Winner will race Gillette in the next round.

Perez's Grand Am leaves with a six light and then has a big wiggle about 330 feet out and it costs him.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7273 Gary Ross                                  Bye
E1   ****WINNER****  0.210  6.491 212.83     
          TS  Dial: 6.54 (+/-): -0.049    
 Qualified:             #1  6.542 211.96                     Bye

Ross was supposed to race Dion next round, but now looks to have two singles in a row.

12:48 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Nov 11- POMONA 2 - Thursday Schedule
Nov 11- POMONA 2 - Top Fuel Preview
Nov 09- Loaded 2027 Schedule Announced for NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Alcohol Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Competition Eliminator Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Dragster Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 05- POMONA 2 - Event Preview
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Competition Eliminator