Sat, 11 Nov 2017, 17:16 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, 53rd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Doug Gordon                            10 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.057  5.459 271.35                     0.099  5.534 267.00
 Qualified:            #12  5.584 268.87                        #5  5.502 269.89

1:51 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 36 percent, barometer 28.83 inches, adjusted altitude 2,823 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

A classis Division 7 matchup to start eliminations.

Gordon finally gets to the finishline without any issues and makes his best pass by far. He is away first and pulls steadily ahead for the easy win.

Gasparrelli makes a strong pass, but is no match for Gordon.

Doug Gordon's MOV: 0.1171 seconds (approximately 46 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   65 Brian Hough                           729 Nick Januik                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.078  5.507 268.22                     0.090 12.524 101.09
 Qualified:             #8  5.530 266.79                        #9  5.541 265.90

Januik's crew is working on the car after the burnout and it gets way loose right off the starting line.

Hough is away first and makes his best pass of the weekend to take the easy win.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.493, 660ft-3.670/210.77 mph, 1,000ft-4.667.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Annie Whiteley                       7238 Bret Williamson              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.130  5.410 273.05                     0.078  5.669 255.43
 Qualified:             #2  5.414 273.27                       #15  5.641 254.09

...and the hits keep comming! Whiteley is away second, but drives on by before the 330 lights and makes her bet pass of the weekend too.

Williamson runs close to his qualifying times, but is no match.

Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.446, 660ft-3.607/214.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.585.
Bret Williamson's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.523, 660ft-3.746/202.64 mph, 1,000ft-4.788.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  636 Ray Martin                            800 Ulf Leanders                 
E1                   0.040  5.768 257.09     ****WINNER****  0.073  5.493 267.64
 Qualified:            #14  5.636 253.90                        #3  5.482 267.00

Leanders uses a lot of race track getting to the finish line. He is second off the line, but drives on by about 100 feet out. Strong pass for the win.

Martin had to do a quick throttle blip and it costs him.

Ray Martin's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.620, 660ft-3.858/202.58 mph, 1,000ft-4.894.
Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.489, 660ft-3.660/211.93 mph, 1,000ft-4.654.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 John Lombardo Jr.                     799 Sean Bellemeur               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.430 270.81                     0.022  5.704 257.33
 Qualified:             #1  5.409 272.83                       #16  5.669 262.69

Bellemeur gets a big head start and hod off Lombardo until right before mid-track, but can't finish the deal.

Another strong forty fr Lombardo and the win. He will have lane choice over Hough in round two.

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.458, 660ft-3.618/214.01 mph, 1,000ft-4.600.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.503, 660ft-3.762/196.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.823.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shane Westerfield                       6 Kris Hool                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.538 267.75                    -0.032  7.690 153.35
 Qualified:             #4  5.491 269.08                       #13  5.599 263.20

Hool goes red and gives the easy win to our 2017 Champ, Westerfield.

He will give up lane choice over Doug Gordon next round.

Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.507, 660ft-3.694/209.85 mph, 1,000ft-4.695.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Terry Ruckman                          77 Jay Payne                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.037  5.549 266.42                     0.052  5.546 267.75
 Qualified:             #6  5.524 269.24                       #11  5.581 266.69

Ruckman is away first and then has to manhandle the Camaro back into the groove, as it starts a steady drift towards the wall. He take the narrow hole shot win.

Payne runs just a tad quicker to no avail.

Terry Ruckman's incremental margins: 60ft(0.041), 330 ft(0.035), 660ft(0.028), 1,000ft(0.020). MOV: 0.0125 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.506, 660ft-3.694/209.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.701.
Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.981 sec., 330ft-2.526, 660ft-3.707/210.31 mph, 1,000ft-4.706.

Leanders will have lane choice in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 676M Chris Marshall                        721 Chip Beverett                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.028  5.993 179.40                     0.036  9.879  53.55
 Qualified:             #7  5.527 265.74                       #10  5.563 263.46

Marshall gets the starting line advantage and is slowly pulling ahead. He gets to just past half track and loses the blower belt. I'm sure he is waiting for Beverett to drive on by, but his engine expired before half track.

2:12 p.m. Whiteley will have lane choice in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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