Sun, 1 Apr 2007, 06:10 PM Pro Modified Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  320 Steve Engel                          1212 Scott Ray                    
E1                  -0.103  6.099 237.92     ****WINNER****  0.031 14.234  69.67
 Qualified:             #8  6.168 237.00                        #9  6.227 232.27

4:53 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 85 percent, barometer 29.95 inches, adjusted altitude 1,238 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Engel left way early and Ray lost traction violently, getting very sideways just off the starting line. But he's a winner because he stayed in his own lane.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2805 Bryan Seward                         1313 Chip King                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.105  6.193 231.12                     0.100  6.908 158.17
 Qualified:            #10  6.255 230.45                        #7  6.148 240.21

King's car was shaking and dancing in the middle of the run, while Seward went right down the groove for the win. Two pairs, two winners from the bottom half of the field.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                              1 Jay Payne                    
E1                   0.068 10.408  85.41     ****WINNER****  0.046  6.060 237.92
 Qualified:            #11  6.267 235.27                        #6  6.065 238.30

Hagan launched, shook, got very sideways and took a good look at both the wall and the centerline. Payne went right down the groove with the quickest run of eliminations so far, a few ticks quicker than his qualifying run.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1010 Troy Critchley                        463 Brandon Pesz                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  6.122 239.14                     0.058  6.149 238.09
 Qualified:             #5  6.052 240.59                       #12  6.536 163.26

Pesz's qualifying pass was initially disqualified for taking out the finish line marker, but it was reversed, his parachute the culprit.

Pesz left first and led almost all the way, but Critchley took over on the top end for the win. Troy Critchley's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.028), 330 ft(-0.013), 660ft(-0.003), 1,000ft(0.008). MOV: 0.0136 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4903 Joshua Hernandez                     1986 John Russo                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  6.009 241.67                    -0.132  6.197 238.43
 Qualified:            #14  7.269 140.40                        #3  6.042 241.20

Russo was way early and Hernandez had an easy time of it, running low ET of eliminations so far. He races Payne and has lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2813 Scott Cannon Jr                      1152 Tony Pontieri                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.998 238.85                     0.055  6.107 239.14
 Qualified:             #4  6.046 238.13                       #13  6.744 212.66

Wipe out the low ET remarks, Cannon just reset the bar on a nice pass. They left together, but Pontieri was more than a car length back at the line. Cannon will have lane choice against Critchley in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   38 Dan Rowe                             1000 Raymond Commisso             
E1                   0.061  6.129 230.76     ****WINNER****  0.109  6.016 230.84
 Qualified:            #16 14.617  71.89                        #1  5.985 243.94

Rowe left on Commisso, but the red Camaro had the muscle to run him down at half track and pull away for the win. Raymond Commisso's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.036), 330 ft(-0.016), 660ft(0.017), 1,000ft(0.045). MOV: 0.0650 seconds (approximately 22 feet). Commisso has lane choice against Ray in the quarterfinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1941 Eddie Ware                            217 Tim Tindle                   
E1                   0.045  6.158 230.96     ****WINNER****  0.042  6.020 238.68
 Qualified:            #15  8.307 113.20                        #2  6.000 239.19

Last pair. After an even start, Tindle pulled away from Ware to take the win and lane choice against Seward next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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