Sun, 11 Nov 2012, 16:33 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 48th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6180 Jirka Kaplan                          744 Shane Westerfield            
E2                   0.046  8.039 146.83     ****WINNER****  0.000  7.168 173.09
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Bellemeur ) 0.040  5.667 254.71      (B Harrington) 0.042 21.066  35.69
 Qualified:             #5  5.608 256.94                        #4  5.605 258.22

1:02 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 24 percent, barometer 29.12 inches, adjusted altitude 1,693 feet, track temperature 86 degrees.

This is Kaplan first time to qualify at a National Event.

Well, that was one of the wildest pedal dual I have ever seen. Both cars are up in smoke right off the line and pedaling madly. Kaplan' car keeps driving towards the center line and Westerfield actually gets all four wheels off the ground at one point. He gathers it up first and gets the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   73 Doug Gordon                             5 Mickey Ferro                 
E2                   0.045  8.221 123.36     ****WINNER****  0.064  5.813 235.51
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Wernhart  ) 0.055  5.652 257.33      (C Thompson  ) 0.063  5.716 252.47
 Qualified:             #3  5.584 259.66                       #11  5.676 255.00

Ferro is 2 - 0 against Gordon in prior events.

Gordon's car sticks the tires at the green and he has to watch Ferro disappear on down the track for the easy win.

Mickey Ferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.478, 660ft-3.771/192.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.863.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 John Lombardo Jr.                     766 Jason Rupert                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.120  5.452 263.82                     0.064  5.684 227.38
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Stickler  ) 0.095  5.493 260.91      (K Ray       ) 0.005  6.044 189.58
 Qualified:             #1  5.506 261.02                        #8  5.627 255.43

This is the first time Lombardo Jr. and Rupert have faced each other in eliminations.

Both cars get off the line clean and Lombardo runs into the best top ten runs ever. It's a career best ET and speed for the big win. He will race Westerfield with lane choice by a bunch next round.

Rupert gets away first, but can only stay in front until right before the 330 lights. It's all Lombardo after that! Looks like the engine is wounded and the car slows on the top end.

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.042), 330 ft(0.013), 660ft(0.047), 1,000ft(0.090). MOV: 0.1766 seconds (approximately 59 feet).

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.420, 660ft-3.597/211.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.601.
Jason Rupert's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.489, 660ft-3.700/204.51 mph, 1,000ft-4.747.

1:06 p.m. Rupert leaves some stuff on the track in the right lane.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tony Bartone                            8 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2   ****WINNER****  0.070  5.572 264.86                     0.037  5.624 251.20
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Payne     ) 0.098  5.616 263.15      (K Hool      ) 0.061  5.673 258.12
 Qualified:            #10  5.655 261.07                        #2  5.577 260.21

1:19 p.m. Last pair of the round. Bartone is 4 - 2 against Gasparrelli in prior events.

Gasparrelli gets a big starting line advantage and looks to be on his way to a win until the engine gives up after the 1000 foot light. Bartone was out of the groove early, but pulls it back into the middle and drives on in the lights. He will have lane choice over Ferro in round three.

Tony Bartone's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.013), 330 ft(-0.041), 660ft(-0.042), 1,000ft(-0.018). MOV: 0.0195 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.509, 660ft-3.714/208.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.722.
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.501, 660ft-3.705/206.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.737.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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