Sun, 2 Oct 2005, 10:43 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fifth annual Ameriquest Mortgage NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Danny Townsend                          1 Cy Chesterman                
E1                   0.073  5.725 251.81     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.672 252.71
 Qualified:             #9  5.662 253.99                        #8  5.649 253.37

Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 29.93 inches, adjusted altitude 685 feet, track temperature 74 degrees.

Chesterman had his reverser lever break yesterday, but is back and makes a good looking pass here.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Dennis Taylor                          62 John Weaver                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  5.751 243.81                     0.084 10.174  95.19
 Qualified:            #10  5.670 250.00                        #7  5.624 254.52

Weaver with a lot tire shake and he pedals it a couple times, but can't get it to hook up. Taylor with the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   49 Mike Bell                               9 Doug Gordon                  
E1                  -0.233  7.125 152.73     ****WINNER****  0.082  5.855 248.02
 Qualified:            #11  5.672 255.34                        #6  5.613 253.47

Gordon with tire shake and pedals it a couple times before he was able to get it to hook up.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  806 Steve Harker                           43 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.088  5.781 250.04                     0.095  6.258 210.83
 Qualified:            #12  5.691 253.52                        #5  5.599 252.80

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   52 Kirk Williams                           7 Mick Snyder                  
E1                   0.068  5.796 247.75     ****WINNER****  0.054  5.651 252.57
 Qualified:            #13  5.698 252.28                        #4  5.599 256.02

Snyder with the quickest pass of the session and he will hane choice over Harker in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Bob Newberry                            6 Tate Branch                  
E1                   0.077  5.682 252.66     ****WINNER****  0.041  5.679 251.53
 Qualified:             #3  5.583 258.86                       #14  5.700 249.03

Branch with a starting line advantage and his quickest pass of the weekend for the upset win. Branch will have lane choice over Gordon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Mark Billington                         3 Frank Manzo                  
E1                   0.129  5.681 252.85     ****WINNER****  0.030  5.597 257.14
 Qualified:            #15  5.720 252.76                        #2  5.563 259.26

Manzo with the quickest pass of the session and lane choice in the next round over Taylor.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  305 Jeff Burnett                            2 Jay Payne                    
E1                   0.074  5.728 249.30     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.592 258.07
 Qualified:            #16  5.735 248.39                        #1  5.537 260.71

Payne with the quickest pass of the session and he will have lane choice over Chesterman.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink