Thu, 11 Nov 2021, 19:28 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Ulf Leanders Runs 5.577/262.85, Now #1
Right Lane: Jake Guadagnolo Runs 12.148/63.55, Now #2

3:30 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 87 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer 30.02 inches, adjusted altitude 3,149 feet.

This is Leanders first event of the season and he takes the long way down to set a mark for the rest of the field to match.

Guadagnolo leaves hard and clicks it off before the 330 lights.

Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.986 sec., 330ft-2.523, 660ft-3.710/208.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.722.

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Left Lane: Don Hudson No Time, Now #4
Right Lane: Ray Martin No Time, Now #3

They leave close together and run that way until after the 330 lights, as Martin slows.

Hudson's Camaro starts to drift steadily towards the center line and nails one of the finish line reflectors. Martin has his time DQ'ed by Hudson's DQ.

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Left Lane: Mike Doushgounian No Time, Now #6
Right Lane: Terry Ruckman Runs 5.514/267.80, Now #1

Mike Doushgounian breaks the engine big time on the burnout and leaves a trail of oil behind the Camaro.

Ruckman makes a clean and strong pass to the top spot for now.

Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.488, 660ft-3.669/210.05 mph, 1,000ft-4.671.

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Left Lane: Chris Marshall Runs 9.721/47.96, Now #4
Right Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.498/267.80, Now #1

4:05 p.m. That took a while! Oil from right off the starting line, in the groove, until almost the 330 lights! Back to qualifying!

Marshall has a good leave, but has the rear end start to swing back and forth until the tire shake and spin loose. There is a big bang from the engine and he coasts on down and stops on the rack right after the finish line. No oil on the track!

Westerfield is strong off the line and makes a clean pass right on up to the top spot for now.

Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.660/210.47 mph, 1,000ft-4.657.

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Left Lane: Nick Januik Runs 10.889/91.71, Now #6
Right Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.543/259.16, Now #3

4:10 p.m. Let's try this again!

Hough has a strong leave and runs straight and true to right in the lights, where there is s big plume of smoke from underneath the Camaro. Nothing on the track, so just a brief belay to check the track.

Januik kicks the sticks loose after the 660 foot lights and slows.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.477, 660ft-3.667/208.20 mph, 1,000ft-4.680.

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Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.493/267.48, Now #2
Right Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 5.474/269.89, Now #1

The best is saved for last!

Two great leaves and a pair of side by side passes right on down the track to the finish line.

Bellemeur is away first and stays there going down the track for the top spot of the day!

Gordon repeats the final at the LVMS LODRS race last weekend with a strong pass, but second best.

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.476, 660ft-3.653/211.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.651.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.646/212.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.638.

4:19 p.m. Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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