Sat, 28 Feb 2004, 08:01 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 Ed Marx                                53 Vern Moats
E1   ****WINNER****  0.062  5.689 251.67                     0.068  5.739 247.07
 Qualified:             #8  5.701 251.11                        #9  5.750 249.21

4:12 p.m. Before we get under way with the Funny Cars we would be remiss if we didn't mention a loss to the drag racing community as a whole and the Dream Weaver team in particular. Robert 'Shorty' Talmage, a long time member of the Dream Weaver team, passed away last week at 67 years of age. The memorial ceremony was held yesterday and the funeral will be tomorrow. He will surely be missed by all the racers.

On a lighter note the call is out to fire the first pair. Almost a dead even start it was Marx with the horsepower and the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  714 Dennis Taylor                          78 Mert Littlefield
E1   ****WINNER****  0.054  5.679 249.53                     0.066  5.855 233.60
 Qualified:             #7  5.693 246.93                       #10  5.776 246.30

I wonder how many times this pair has raced each other in Div-7 events. More than they can remember I'd bet. Taylor gets a slight head start on Littlefield and he sets his career best ET taking the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Bucky Austin                          735 Bob Gallio
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  5.616 249.67                     0.063  6.220 225.45
 Qualified:             #3  5.604 258.42                       #14  6.195 226.09

Austin had to tippy toe all the way down after his racer drove him towards center stripe. He was inches away after that but managed to keep it in the lane and take the win over Bob Gallio.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  703 Mark Woznichak                       7306 Jeff Carroll
E1   ****WINNER****  0.156  5.689 254.81                     0.082  5.774 228.85
 Qualified:             #2  5.599 249.95                       #15  6.286 231.36

The Woz had the car drift towards the wall on his left but manages to smoothly bring the car back slowly. Carroll caught a better light by fell short of the win. Woznichak will face Taylor in round two with choice going to Taylor.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Marc White                            762 Bil Gallio
E1   ****WINNER****  0.094  5.553 256.80                     0.297  5.885 247.34
 Qualified:             #1  5.567 254.71                       #16  8.012 125.65

Oh my! White comes within .02 of the national record for the alcohol funny cars. Gallio was really late and could only watch White disappear. White has lane choice next round against Marx.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Doug Gordon                            73 Robert Lee
E1   ****WINNER****  0.068  5.662 249.76                     0.112 No Time
 Qualified:             #4  5.623 253.28                       #13  6.168 245.94

Lee took out the 1000 foot cone so his pass will be DQd. Gordon was way out front at that point so it made no difference in the numbers.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Steve Gasparrelli                     765 Bernie Harrington
E1   ****WINNER****  0.049  5.641 249.95                     0.092  5.707 238.34
 Qualified:             #5  5.665 248.39                       #12  6.106 189.26

Gasparrelli gets really close to the wall in the left lane but still manages to take the win. Harrington stayed close but it appeared that he damaged the engine as there was a big cloud of smoke and he pulled very close to the wall in the right lane. The sweepers are out on the track so he may have put some stuff on the track as well. Gasparrelli takes lane choice into his meeting with Gordon tomorrow.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  727 Ron August Jr                         713 Jon Capps
E1   ****WINNER****  0.091  5.626 253.42                     0.036  5.793 247.79
 Qualified:             #6  5.667 249.39                       #11  5.867 235.47

August leaves the starting line behind Capps but it doesn't make a bit of difference in the end. August gets the win but can't take lane choice away from Bucky Austin on Sunday. That's the final pair in round one and I see Comp Eliminator coming around the corner.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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