Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series, 16th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
76 Doug Gordon 5 Bucky Austin
E1 0.041 13.330 59.91 ****WINNER**** 0.061 5.676
255.43
Qualified: #16 6.568 158.82 #1 5.673 255.53
Current weather conditions: 80 degrees, 39 percent relative humidity, the
barometer 30.12 inches under sunny skies.Gordon gets the starting line
advantage and then has violent tire shake and clicks its off and Austin almost
matches his number one qualifying time.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
7704 Dale VanGundy 77 John Weaver
E1 0.143 No Time ****WINNER**** 0.058 5.717
247.97
Qualified: #15 6.559 228.00 #2 5.689 250.51
VanGundy has a lot tire shake and got out of the groove and collected the
330-foot cone. It didn't really matter as Weaver was well on his way to the win
any way.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
62 Jason Rupert 2 Steve Gasparrelli
E1 0.052 No Time ****WINNER**** 0.072 5.845
246.93
Qualified: #14 6.246 235.89 #3 5.714 250.00
Rupert had problems right off the starting line and Gasparrelli marches on
to round two.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6830 John Knox 72 Mert Littlefield
E1 0.075 6.119 231.79 ****WINNER**** 0.064 5.845
244.83
Qualified: #13 6.207 229.31 #4 5.776 246.71
Littlefield with the starting line advantage and never looked back to take
the win.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
655 Matt Goss 6634 Henry Coolidge
E1 0.030 6.072 237.05 ****WINNER**** 0.057 5.859
247.93
Qualified: #12 6.018 239.61 #5 5.785 249.49
Goss did his job on the tree, but Coolidge has the difference made up by 330
feet and will face Littlefield in round two. Littlefield will have lane
choice.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6992 Forrest Le Blanc 6959 Ken Kraus
E1 No Time ****WINNER**** 0.047 5.885
243.15
Qualified: #11 6.016 237.88 #6 5.797 248.52
LeBlanc did the burnout and then as he was getting ready to stage the car
went silent, apparently he lost the blower belt. Kraus with the freebie, and he
will face Gasparrelli and Gasparrelli will have lane choice.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6237 Roger Bateman 6345 Clint Thompson
E1 0.056 10.364 77.60 ****WINNER**** 0.061 5.745
250.13
Qualified: #9 5.940 245.32 #8 5.874 246.03
Thompson is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and Thompson blast on
through the quarter mile for the win. This is a career best E.T. pass for
Thompson, but he will still give up lane choice to Austin in round two.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
65 John Evanchuk 777 John Patton
E1 0.041 7.439 115.15 ****WINNER**** 0.113 5.831
245.49
Qualified: #10 5.980 238.55 #7 5.869 241.32
Evanchuk is out of the gate first and is real loose. Patton finally chases
him down just past 330 feet and take the win. Patton will give up lane choice
to Weaver in round two.
Timing data
courtesy of CompuLink
