Sun, 30 Jul 2006, 04:49 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  727 Ron August Jr                           3 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2                  -0.075  5.624 258.42     ****WINNER****  0.096  8.648 104.09
 Prior rounds:
E1    (L Miner     ) 0.040  5.676 257.58      (K Kraus     ) 0.118  5.646 257.92
 Qualified:             #1  5.588 256.94                        #8  5.663 257.58

Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 55 percent, barometer 30.11 inches,adjusted altitude 1,143 feet, track temperature 121 degrees.

August turned on the red light and then Gasparrelli had problems, but still gets the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   64 Clint Thompson                         79 Sean Bellemeur               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.057  5.606 257.28                     0.057  5.725 253.52
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Taylor    ) 0.067  5.636 256.80      (M Woznichak ) 0.051  5.710 254.28
 Qualified:            #13  5.722 254.14                       #12  5.699 253.33

They leave the line together and then Thompson with the quickest pass of the weekend and season for him for the win light. Thompson runs the career best mph pass, too. Thompson with the win light and lane choice over Gasparrelli.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6237 Roger Bateman                          62 Brian Hough                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.175  5.617 255.63                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Gordon    ) 0.093  5.637 255.39      (D Hudson    ) 0.100  5.703 256.11
 Qualified:             #3  5.611 254.52                        #6  5.645 254.90

Hough rolled the beams and Bateman gets the easy win. Bateman with a real nice pass.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   76 John Weaver                             4 Jay Payne                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.095  5.656 254.90                     0.127  6.389 150.85
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Austin    ) 0.351  5.693 252.28      (J Rupert    ) 0.169  5.577 262.39
 Qualified:             #7  5.650 253.90                        #2  5.598 258.47

Payne shook hard and the chute came out and Weaver with a good looking pass for the win. Weaver will give up lane choice to Bateman in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink