Fri, 11 Nov 2022, 17:34 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Matt Gill Runs 5.596/264.70, Now #13; Best prior run: 7.608/172.83, Was #14
Right Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 9.838/87.33, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.522/264.03, Was #10

2:04 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 30.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,849 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Doug Gordon is number one at 5.423 and the field not filled, no bump spot.

Gill finally gets a full pass and moves up a spot to #13 on a strong run.

Whiteley left hard and was coasting well before the 330 lights.

Matt Gill's incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.498, 660ft-3.731/205.54 mph, 1,000ft-4.746.

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Left Lane: Clint Thompson No Time, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.693/222.03, Was #14
Right Lane: Chris Marshall Runs 5.517/269.19, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.502/265.95, Was #8

Thompson left with a great 0.002 light, but slows early and stops on the track. He won't get a time.

Marshall makes a clean pass, runs faster, but won't improve.

Chris Marshall's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.516, 660ft-3.687/212.56 mph, 1,000ft-4.681.

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Left Lane: Mike Doushgounian Runs 5.526/256.45, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.562/262.03, Was #12
Right Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 5.469/270.00, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.498/269.13, Was #7

Whiteley car shuts off before the burnout and the crew has to scramble to get the engine restarted. She does a very short burn out and goes up to stage. It was effort well spent, as she runs quicker and faster to move three spots up the ladder to #4.

Doushgounian made a strong pass too, but there is smoke out from underneath the Camaro right before the lights. He still picks up a spot to #11.

Mike Doushgounian's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.441, 660ft-3.629/207.24 mph, 1,000ft-4.652.
Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.479, 660ft-3.647/212.56 mph, 1,000ft-4.636.

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Left Lane: Nick Januik Runs 5.481/265.48, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.530/265.90, Was #12
Right Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 5.436/268.06, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.494/265.74, Was #7

Two more strong pass with big improvements.

Bellemeur is away first by a bunch and pulls steadily ahead going down the track to move four spots up the ladder to #3.

Januik makes a much better pass this time and moves five spots to #7.

Nick Januik's incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.456, 660ft-3.633/210.41 mph, 1,000ft-4.634.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.444, 660ft-3.606/213.87 mph, 1,000ft-4.597.

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Left Lane: Ray Martin Runs 5.677/233.84, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.515/261.72, Was #10
Right Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.496/265.43, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.481/266.32, Was #6

Two strong and clean passes, but neither driver can improve on their earlier times.

Ray Martin's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.467, 660ft-3.663/204.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.731.
Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.479, 660ft-3.652/211.69 mph, 1,000ft-4.651.

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Left Lane: Jake Guadagnolo Runs 8.132/103.36, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.485/262.69, Was #8
Right Lane: Ulf Leanders Runs 5.472/264.18, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.426/267.06, Was #2

Guadagnolo leaves hard with a fifteen light, but his Camaro starts a steady pull towards the wall and he wisely shuts it off early.

A strong and straight pass for Leanders to stay #2 for now.

Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.439, 660ft-3.614/209.75 mph, 1,000ft-4.621.

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Left Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.446/266.90, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.454/267.85, Was #4
Right Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.418/270.16, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.423/269.29, Was #1

A great ol' drag race!They leave close together and finish close together.

Gordon gets a small starting line advantage and pulls strong and stright down the track for his best ET of the weekend with a big speed to stay #1 for the weekend.

Westerfield finds a little more power too and makes his quickest pass of the weekend too. He will stay #4 going into eliminations.

2:26 p.m. Field not filled, No bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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