Sat, 27 Oct 2018, 20:31 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 John Lombardo Jr.                     810 Robert Turner                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  5.484 267.53                     0.209  6.759 152.28
 Qualified:             #1  5.439 269.46                       #18  6.178 235.02

Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 27.87 inches, adjusted altitude 4,502 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Turner is in as alternate for Jones. Lombardo Jr. with the starting line advantage and is straight down the groove for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Shane Westerfield                     771 Charles McLaws               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  5.541 266.16                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #4  5.461 269.35                       #13  5.712 255.48

This is the first time Westerfield and McLaws have faced each other in eliminations.

McLaws left before the tree was activated to give Westerfield the easy win. Westerfield is straight down the groove for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Sean Bellemeur                        440 Steve Burck                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  5.523 265.06                     0.083 16.613  45.78
 Qualified:             #2  5.451 268.01                       #17  6.105 197.19

Bellemeur is 2 - 0 against Burck in prior events.

Burck is in as an alternate for Wernhart. Bellemeur with the starting line advantage and the win. He is straight down the groove. Burck shook and shut off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Steve Gasparrelli                      63 Chris Marshall               
E1                   0.041  8.937 109.54     ****WINNER****  0.199  5.525 266.27
 Qualified:            #14  5.807 256.60                        #3  5.460 268.81

This is the first time Gasparrelli and Marshall have faced each other in eliminations.

Gasparrelli with the starting line advantage, but shook and clicked it off. Marshall with a good looking pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Doug Gordon                           433 Bryan Brown                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.091  5.579 265.95                     0.054  5.671 258.17
 Qualified:             #5  5.482 268.87                       #12  5.709 260.76

Gordon is 2 - 0 against Brown in prior events.

Brown with the starting line advantage, but Gordon chased him down by half track and takes the win. Doug Gordon's MOV: 0.0553 seconds (approximately 21 feet). Gordon will give up lane choice to Westerfield in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6180 Jirka Kaplan                            7 Kris Hool                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  5.540 261.07                     0.049  5.582 261.27
 Qualified:             #6  5.500 264.39                       #11  5.594 262.44

This is the first time Kaplan and Hool have faced each other in eliminations.

Kaplan with the slight starting line advantage and the win. Jirka Kaplan's MOV: 0.0476 seconds (approximately 18 feet). He will give up lane choice to Marshall in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  800 Ulf Leanders                          636 Ray Martin                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.073  5.524 263.41                     0.222 13.526  91.76
 Qualified:             #7  5.510 265.06                       #10  5.531 260.31

Leanders is 3 - 0 against Martin in prior events.

Leanders with the starting line advantage and the win. Martin with severe tire shake and clicked it off. Leanders will give up lane choice to Bellemeur in the next round by 0.001 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Annie Whiteley                         66 Brian Hough                  
E1                   0.141  5.542 266.58     ****WINNER****  0.088  5.538 264.39
 Qualified:             #8  5.523 268.22                        #9  5.525 266.37

Whiteley is 3 - 0 against Hough in prior events.

Hough with the starting line advantage and the win. Brian Hough's MOV: 0.0577 seconds (approximately 23 feet). He will give up lane choice to Lombardo Jr. in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Oct 25- LAS VEGAS - Event Preview
Oct 22- NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony Returns to Pechanga Resort Casino
Oct 22- NHRA Breakfast at 2026 SEMA Show Features Legends, Champs & A Rookie Talking Funny Car Showdown
Oct 22- DALLAS - Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Wrap Up
Oct 22- Five NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Drivers Currently Eligible for 2026 Rookie of the Year
Oct 22- Lucas Oil and NHRA Celebrate 25-Year Partnership with Multi-Year Extension
Oct 19- DALLAS - Sunday Video
Oct 18- DALLAS - Sunday Wrap Up
Oct 18- DALLAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Stock
Oct 18- DALLAS - Summary of Eliminations in Competition Eliminator