Fri, 21 Jul 2006, 09:07 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Michael L. Jex

KENT, Wash. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Don Hudson Runs 5.775/250.64, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.739/235.60, Was #2
Right Lane: John Patton Runs 5.904/245.49, Now #7; Best prior run: 7.212/134.46, Was #13

Hudson's speed is the fastest he's gone this year, but they don't qualify on speed... Patton improves a bunch - John Patton's incremental times: 60ft-1.014 sec., 330ft-2.636, 660ft-3.907/195.11mph, 1,000ft-4.989

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Left Lane: Nathan Sitko Runs 6.477/215.75, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.745/248.16, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.756/248.80, Was #4

This is Sitko's first lap of the weekend, he's driving one of Tim Nemeth's old Funny Cars. Nathan bumps out Larry Miner, that will put John Weaver on the bubble. Nice pass for Gordon, they turned the tuning wrench the right direction and move up one spot.

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Left Lane: Tim Nemeth Runs 12.322/65.59, Now #18; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Ken Kraus Runs 6.299/229.82, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.887/241.15, Was #6

Nemeth shook and lifted, Kraus pedaled at least three times.

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Right Lane: Derek Smelson No Time, Now #15; Best prior run: 7.645/186.07, Was #15

Derek lost fire on the burnout and was pushed back, he'll get no timeslip this round...

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Left Lane: Bucky Austin Runs 10.556/84.67, Now #16; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Dennis Taylor Runs 5.729/251.81, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.719/251.39, Was #1

Austin's run was DQ'd in round one - evidently they didn't pass the fuel check. No word yet if it was color, or just what. Luckily he's got another chance to get into the program.

Bucky had tire shake problems early, then must have lost power after he pedaled. His shutoff run was good enough to hold down the bump spot, but with names like Miner, Weaver and Gasparrelli not in the field, Bucky will likely just have one shot to get into the field tomorrow.

Taylor's run was consistent - Dennis Taylor's incremental times: 60ft-0.980 sec., 330ft-2.552, 660ft-3.785/200.62mph, 1,000ft-4.837

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Left Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 5.916/244.47, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.821/246.21, Was #5
Right Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.831/247.52, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.290/178.35, Was #12

No joy for Thompson, Brian vaults to the top half of the field.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.679/257.78, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.750/253.66, Was #4
Right Lane: Hank Coolidge Runs 5.846/247.84, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.910/248.43, Was #9

Payne throws out the first sixty of the event - Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.995 sec., 330ft-2.552, 660ft-3.770/204.79mph, 1,000ft-4.804

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Left Lane: John Weaver Runs 5.801/248.39, Now #5; Best prior run: 11.410/85.17, Was #17
Right Lane: John Evanchuk Runs 5.916/244.03, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.948/238.68, Was #10

Weaver bumps out Bucky Austin - now Derek Smelson has the big bullseye on his race car. John improves, but moves down a spot with Weaver's quicker pass in the left lane.

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Left Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.719/253.18, Now #2; Best prior run: 12.557/74.75, Was #20

From out of the show to the 2nd spot goes Gasparrelli - Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.997 sec., 330ft-2.560, 660ft-3.783/202.39mph, 1,000ft-4.831

Nathan Sitko is now on the bump spot with a 6.47.

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Left Lane: Roger Bateman Runs 6.209/201.28, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.448/232.39, Was #15

Bateman pedaled, then had a pop when he lifted off the loud pedal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink