Sat, 13 Nov 2021, 18:16 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  636 Ray Martin                            744 Shane Westerfield            
E1                   0.039  5.678 257.04     ****WINNER****  0.036  5.536 267.59
 Qualified:            #10  5.599 260.66                        #3  5.498 267.80

2:52 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 87 degrees, relative humidity 15 percent, barometer 30.01 inches, adjusted altitude 3,124 feet.

Westerfield is 3 - 0 against Martin in prior events.

Just 0.003 difference in RT's and Shane Westerfield pulls steadily ahead to the finish line for the decisive win.

Ray Martin's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.551, 660ft-3.770/203.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.806.
Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.968 sec., 330ft-2.515, 660ft-3.695/210.54 mph, 1,000ft-4.693.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Doug Gordon                           757 Mike Doushgounian            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.057  5.493 267.16                     0.033  5.717 254.42
 Qualified:             #2  5.493 267.48                       #11  5.722 250.46

Doushgounian leaves with a great thirty-three light and runs better than he qualified, but Gordon is out in front right at the 60 foot lights and runs hard to the finish line for the win.

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.944 sec., 330ft-2.480, 660ft-3.655/211.66 mph, 1,000ft-4.651.
Mike Doushgounian's incremental times: 60ft-0.980 sec., 330ft-2.594, 660ft-3.818/203.58 mph, 1,000ft-4.847.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  756 Don Hudson                              2 Sean Bellemeur               
E1                   0.034  5.678 260.16     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.475 267.75
 Qualified:            #12  5.740 250.23                        #1  5.474 269.89

They leave close together and Bellemeur slowly and steadily pulls ahead for the win.

Hudson makes his best pass of the weekend to no avail.

Don Hudson's incremental times: 60ft-1.013 sec., 330ft-2.583, 660ft-3.788/206.35 mph, 1,000ft-4.813.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.465, 660ft-3.636/212.19 mph, 1,000ft-4.633.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  783 Jake Guadagnolo                      5757 Terry Ruckman                
E1                  -0.009  5.555 261.98     ****WINNER****  0.044  5.696 264.70
 Qualified:             #9  5.587 251.81                        #4  5.506 267.37

This is the first time Guadagnolo and Ruckman have faced each other in eliminations.

Guadagnolo goes red by just -0.009 to give the free pass to round two to Ruckman. He gives up lane choice to Westerfield.

Jake Guadagnolo's incremental times: 60ft-0.944 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.676/207.66 mph, 1,000ft-4.695.
Terry Ruckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.944 sec., 330ft-2.591, 660ft-3.821/204.60 mph, 1,000ft-4.842.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  800 Ulf Leanders                          729 Nick Januik                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.098  5.509 263.87                     0.032  5.654 263.56
 Qualified:             #8  5.550 264.96                        #5  5.517 264.18

Leanders is 1 - 0 against Januik in prior events.

A good ol' race Leanders was second off the line by a bunch, but comes from behind to take the win.

Januik can't match his qualifying pace.

Gordon will have lane choice tomorrow!

Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.467, 660ft-3.647/209.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.655.
Nick Januik's incremental times: 60ft-0.975 sec., 330ft-2.553, 660ft-3.774/204.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.797.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Chris Marshall                          3 Brian Hough                  
E1                   0.068  5.554 263.36     ****WINNER****  0.088  5.533 265.90
 Qualified:             #6  5.541 264.96                        #7  5.543 259.16

WOW!

Marshall gets the starting line advantage and hold off Hough until literally right at the finish line.

Hough just nips him for the ultra close win. Just 0.001 difference in ET's!

Brian Hough's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.021), 330 ft(-0.031), 660ft(-0.025), 1,000ft(-0.009). MOV: 0.0012 seconds (approximately 6 inches).

Chris Marshall's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.494, 660ft-3.682/208.75 mph, 1,000ft-4.698.
Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.505, 660ft-3.687/209.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.687.

3:09 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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