Mon, 02 Sep 2019, 15:08 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 65th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Sean Bellemeur                         10 Ulf Leanders                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.020  5.586 267.43                     0.074  6.741 172.19
 Qualified:             #1  5.439 270.05                       #16  5.800 197.88

2:40 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 29.17 inches, adjusted altitude 2,894 feet, track temperature 117 degrees.

Leanders is 4 - 3 against Bellemeur in prior events.

Bellemeur makes it look easy with all of the number to take the easy win.

Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.540, 660ft-3.738/208.39 mph, 1,000ft-4.742. Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-1.058 sec., 330ft-2.952, 660ft-4.237/189.84 mph, 1,000ft-5.496.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Shane Westerfield                    2183 Aryan Rochon                 
E1                   0.022  5.860 239.61     ****WINNER****  0.173  5.643 256.31
 Qualified:             #2  5.491 268.97                       #15  5.756 258.62

This is the first time Westerfield and Rochon have faced each other in eliminations. Rochon made a unplanned trip into the sand in the last qualifying session, but had the time to get everything back to 100%.

Aryan Rochon was dead late at the green. He stays after it hard and is able to get out in front after half track, as Westerfield's Camaro starts to slow.

Aryan Rochon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.144), 330 ft(-0.063), 660ft(-0.010), 1,000ft(0.025). MOV: 0.0660 seconds (approximately 23 feet).

Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.610, 660ft-3.873/196.79 mph, 1,000ft-4.942. Aryan Rochon's incremental times: 60ft-0.972 sec., 330ft-2.522, 660ft-3.732/204.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.766.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   32 Ray Drew                              571 Bob McCosh                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.062  5.509 264.75                     0.098  5.660 257.63
 Qualified:             #4  5.526 265.12                       #13  5.679 257.04

This is the first time Drew and McCosh have faced each other in eliminations.

Great race! Both drivers run their best times of the event.

Drew is away first and continues to open up his lead from the start to the finish.

Ray Drew's incremental times: 60ft-0.974 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.660/209.98 mph, 1,000ft-4.661. Bob McCosh's incremental times: 60ft-0.993 sec., 330ft-2.546, 660ft-3.752/205.69 mph, 1,000ft-4.787.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Doug Gordon                           433 Bryan Brown                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.491 268.87                     0.059  5.847 259.91
 Qualified:             #3  5.498 267.37                       #14  5.742 260.81

Gordon is 3 - 0 against Brown in prior events. Gordon has been to the finals in six national events this year without a win.

Best run of the round and Gordon parlays his little 0.004 RT advantage to a huge lead at the finish line. Brown is a little off his qualifying times.

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.482, 660ft-3.659/211.39 mph, 1,000ft-4.653. Bryan Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.990 sec., 330ft-2.687, 660ft-3.941/201.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.979.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  333 Chip Beverett                          34 Tony Bogolo                  
E1                   0.076  7.899 148.89     ****WINNER****  0.069  5.637 257.58
 Qualified:             #5  5.546 254.38                       #12  5.675 253.61

This is the first time Beverett and Bogolo have faced each other in eliminations.

Beverett struggles to stay off the centerline and has to give it up.

Bogolo makes her best pass of the weekend for the upset win. Drew will have lane choice next round.

Tony Bogolo's incremental times: 60ft-0.970 sec., 330ft-2.513, 660ft-3.727/204.35 mph, 1,000ft-4.762.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  883 Johan Lindberg                        440 Steve Burck                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.082  5.530 268.87                     0.086 18.006  41.33
 Qualified:             #6  5.551 267.80                       #11  5.622 262.13

This is the first time Lindberg and Burck have faced each other in eliminations.

Burck's Camaro shakes at the green and Lindberg runs close to his prior best for the easy win. He gives up lane choice to Gordon next round.

Johan Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.995 sec., 330ft-2.528, 660ft-3.700/212.19 mph, 1,000ft-4.693.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Chris Marshall                       3712 Ryan Stack                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.049  5.512 265.48                     0.043  5.761 257.14
 Qualified:             #7  5.554 264.60                       #10  5.621 261.32

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

Stack gets a small starting line advantage, but Marshall drive right on by and pull further ahead at every increment to take a decisive win. He will keep lane choice in round two over Rochon.

Chris Marshall's incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.479, 660ft-3.660/210.77 mph, 1,000ft-4.664. Ryan Stack's incremental times: 60ft-0.989 sec., 330ft-2.575, 660ft-3.827/198.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.882.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Jay Payne                             345 Phil Esz                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.102  5.560 265.43                     0.377  5.596 261.17
 Qualified:             #8  5.559 263.51                        #9  5.593 259.66

This is the first time Payne and Esz have faced each other in eliminations.

Esz is dead late at the green. He runs close to Payne's ties, but has no chance.

Payne was late too, but has the power to stay in front for the easy win. He will have lane choice over Bellemeur later.

Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.509, 660ft-3.700/208.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.710. Phil Esz's incremental times: 60ft-0.981 sec., 330ft-2.519, 660ft-3.717/207.05 mph, 1,000ft-4.735.

3:01 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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