Sat, 17 Sep 2005, 06:07 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 21st annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 Mickey Ferro                           22 Mark Billington              
E1                   0.090  5.831 244.52     ****WINNER****  0.072  5.801 247.88
 Qualified:             #9  5.774 244.60                        #8  5.767 248.11

5:38 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 29.81 inches, adjusted altitude 1,685 feet, track temperature 105 degrees.

Billington was out of the gate first but Ferro had the lead at 60 feet. After that, Billington got back out in front and pulled away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  806 Steve Harker                          118 DJ Cox Jr                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.098  5.796 250.88                     0.052  6.132 221.49
 Qualified:             #7  5.755 250.92                       #17  6.066 231.32

Cox had the quicker reaction time and was ahead at 330 feet. Then Harker got by him and pulled away to take the win. Cox's car broke the blower belt at the end of the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  365 Bobby Martin                         1777 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.078  5.709 249.76                     0.082  5.744 251.02
 Qualified:            #11  5.861 243.77                        #6  5.740 251.30

Martin had this race from start to finish.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  305 Jeff Burnett                           15 Dan Pomponio                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.120  5.706 247.20                     0.050  5.885 242.80
 Qualified:             #5  5.722 246.66                       #12  5.889 242.67

Pomponio won the Division One points meet here on Memorial Day weekend. Burnett was last off the starting line and trailed at 60 feet, but then powered by Pomponio to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  180 Ron Zavarella                           5 Bob Newberry                 
E1                   0.126  8.217 100.20     ****WINNER****  0.127  5.677 254.81
 Qualified:            #16  6.025 235.80                        #1  5.644 254.95

Zavarella shook the tires and broke the blower belt at mid track. Newberry will have lane choice over Billington in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7590 Ross Stickler                        1224 David Ray                    
E1                   0.059  5.745 242.71     ****WINNER****  0.100  5.659 253.90
 Qualified:            #13  5.890 240.64                        #4  5.718 252.52

Ray got beat at the tree and was trailing at mid track, but then got by Stickler to take the win. He'll have lane choice over Burnett in the next round. David Ray's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.060), 330 ft(-0.057), 660ft(-0.029), 1,000ft(0.007). MOV: 0.0455 seconds (approximately 16 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  125 Eric Lourie                           135 Billy Gibson                 
E1                   0.056  5.873 241.80     ****WINNER****  0.058  5.742 252.52
 Qualified:            #14  5.894 241.24                        #3  5.682 252.71

Gibson got the win but gave up lane choice to Martin in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  155 Duane Beers                             3 Frank Manzo                  
E1                   0.071  5.910 241.11     ****WINNER****  0.069  5.636 256.36
 Qualified:            #15  5.949 240.29                        #2  5.651 255.73

This was Manzo's race all the way. He'll have lane choice over Harker in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink