Sun, 6 Nov 2005, 03:45 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 41st annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   74 John Patton                             2 Jay Payne                    
E2                   0.220  5.762 250.64     ****WINNER****  0.074  5.693 242.50
 Prior rounds:
E1    (V Moats     ) 0.090  5.750 249.03      (C Thompson  ) 0.041  5.690 253.75
 Qualified:            #11  5.704 254.14                        #3  5.638 256.11

12:31 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 28 percent, barometer 29.31 inches, adjusted altitude 2,074 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

Patton was late and Payne was long-gone, but he "sneezed" the blower in the lights.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Dennis Taylor                          43 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2                   0.106  9.920  82.66     ****WINNER****  0.066  5.598 260.41
 Prior rounds:
E1    (H Coolidge  ) 0.050 10.587  80.35      (B Hough     ) 0.025  5.638 259.01
 Qualified:             #5  5.650 256.06                       #13  5.708 257.24

Taylor launched into severe tire shake and had to lift. Gasparrelli made an awesome run, hard and straight, posting low ET of the meet and a career-best speed for top speed of the meet.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1224 David Ray                             757 Larry Miner                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.002  5.667 255.24                     0.029  6.379 160.18
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Harrington) 0.075  5.683 255.43      (D Hudson    ) 0.048  5.605 253.42
 Qualified:             #7  5.667 257.09                        #2  5.634 255.43

Miner's car shook and skated toward the centerline, forcing him to lift. Ray went right down the groove for the win and lane choice against Payne in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  727 Ron August Jr                           8 Bucky Austin                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.027  5.678 249.76                     0.071  5.668 255.92
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Weaver    ) 0.001  5.723 253.18      (S Bellemeur ) 0.100  5.710 255.39
 Qualified:             #8  5.668 256.45                        #1  5.631 257.53

On a holeshot, August got there first and took out the #1 qualifier. Ron August Jr's incremental margins: 60ft(0.049), 330 ft(0.036), 660ft(0.036), 1,000ft(0.038). MOV: 0.0345 seconds (approximately 13 feet). He faces another quick car next round, Steve Gasparrelli will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink