Sun, 2 Oct 2005, 01:43 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 2 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
    9 Doug Gordon                             6 Tate Branch                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.725 249.44                     0.073  5.836 247.88
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Bell      ) 0.082  5.855 248.02      (B Newberry  ) 0.041  5.679 251.53
 Qualified:             #6  5.613 253.47                       #14  5.700 249.03

12:26 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 66 percent, barometer 29.92 inches, adjusted altitude 1,072 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Gordon leaves first, goes right down the groove, and pulls away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  806 Steve Harker                            7 Mick Snyder                  
E2                   0.074  5.836 248.66     ****WINNER****  0.044  5.698 251.25
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Gasparrell) 0.088  5.781 250.04      (K Williams  ) 0.054  5.651 252.57
 Qualified:            #12  5.691 253.52                        #4  5.599 256.02

Snyder leaves first and goes right down the groove, Harker shook the tires right off the line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Dennis Taylor                           3 Frank Manzo                  
E2                   0.126  5.937 199.37     ****WINNER****  0.060  5.697 255.73
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Weaver    ) 0.076  5.751 243.81      (M Billington) 0.030  5.597 257.14
 Qualified:            #10  5.670 250.00                        #2  5.563 259.26

Manzo gets a big hole-shot, goes right down the groove, and marches into the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Cy Chesterman                           2 Jay Payne                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.697 252.47                     0.088  5.716 254.28
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Townsend  ) 0.068  5.672 252.71      (J Burnett   ) 0.068  5.592 258.07
 Qualified:             #8  5.649 253.37                        #1  5.537 260.71

In the next round, Manzo will have lane choice over Gordon and Chesterman with lane choice over Snyder.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink