Sun, 7 Oct 2007, 12:40 PM Pro Modified Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1090 Raymond Commisso                     1152 Tony Pontieri                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  6.098 236.96                     0.026  6.214 233.03
 Qualified:             #9  6.110 236.75                        #8  6.107 235.06

12:20 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.83 inches, adjusted altitude 2,138 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Pontieri had a great light, but Commisso had the power to run him down in the first 330 feet and pull away for the win when Pontieri drove through tire shake.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  217 Tim Tindle                           1212 Scott Ray                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.091  7.663 186.87                     0.073 10.092 102.19
 Qualified:            #11  6.171 231.95                        #6  6.089 237.25

Both driver lost traction right off the starting line, getting very sideways. Both pedaled, Tindle got hooked up and Ray did not. Both continued having problems with shake, but Tindle got there first after pedaling several times.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  320 Steve Engel                             3 Josh Hernandez               
E1                  -0.077  6.107 239.02     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.994 240.68
 Qualified:            #16  8.748 107.29                        #1  5.990 241.67

Easy win by hernandez, but he probably didn't need it, again in the fives and over 240 mph. He has lane choice against Commisso in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1505 George Landis                           4 Shelly Payne                 
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.154  6.722 212.39
 Qualified:            #14  6.319 222.40                        #3  6.038 237.67

Easy win for Payne when Landis could not answer the call. She had problems with tire shake, pedaling at least once, but was still quick enough to earn lane choice against Tindle in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                             38 Tommy Mauney                 
E1                   0.061  6.233 233.92     ****WINNER****  0.169  6.105 236.17
 Qualified:            #12  6.192 232.91                        #5  6.052 237.13

Hagan had a big holeshot, but Mauney ran him down and took the lead past half track. Tommy Mauney's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.049), 330 ft(-0.017), 660ft(-0.009), 1,000ft(0.006). MOV: 0.0203 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4610 Harold Laird                           30 Mike Janis                   
E1                   0.096  6.528 227.46     ****WINNER****  0.045  6.284 235.39
 Qualified:            #13  6.255 228.42                        #4  6.046 239.95

Both shook, both pedaled, but Janis was able to keep his car pointed down the lane and hooked up quicker for the win. However, he lost lane choice to Mauney in the quarterfinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1512 Mike Stawicki                        1986 John Russo                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.127  8.003 183.42                     0.062 12.117  70.91
 Qualified:            #15  6.618 223.32                        #2  6.029 240.29

Both spun the tires and shook, both pedaled, both did the same again, then Russo started coasting and Stawicki was able to keep pedaling for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jay Payne                               7 Rick Stivers                 
E1                   0.062  7.464 134.51     ****WINNER****  0.036  6.099 237.00
 Qualified:            #17 11.863  86.06                        #7  6.103 234.57

Payne was in as an alternate, for Chip King. Payne got a good look at the wall and a good look at the centerline, Stivers went right down the groove for an easy win. He will have lane choice over Stawicki in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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