Sun, 15 Oct 2006, 01:11 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Mick Snyder                             1 Bob Newberry
E2   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.620 255.39                     0.041 17.437  59.33
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Brown     ) 0.082  5.630 253.04      (B Martin    ) 0.120  5.641 253.95
 Qualified:             #5  5.671 254.57                        #4  5.612 257.68

12:54 p.m. They left right together, but Newberry shook almost instalntly and threw in the towel. Snyder made a nice, smooth run to the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 Mickey Ferro                           33 Jeff Burnett
E2   ****WINNER****  0.134  5.650 250.55                     0.116  5.735 238.60
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Headley   ) 0.131  5.612 256.75      (D Pomponio J) 0.178  5.772 217.70
 Qualified:             #3  5.610 257.04                        #6  5.681 244.56

Burnett had the better of two bad reaction times, but could not run with Ferro today. Mickey Ferro's MOV: 0.0676 seconds (approximately 24 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1777 Bob Tasca III                         118 DJ Cox Jr.
E2   ****WINNER****  0.089  5.539 258.91                     0.043  5.661 248.52
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Martindale) 0.107  5.545 260.16      (F Schuster  ) 0.137  5.738 249.76
 Qualified:             #2  5.567 258.62                        #7  5.701 251.02

Cox had a great light and improved over his qualifying performance with yet another career-best elapsed time, but it wasn't enough against one of the rising starts of Top Alcohol Funny Car, also running a career-best time. Bob Tasca III's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.034), 330 ft(-0.024), 660ft(0.007), 1,000ft(0.043). MOV: 0.0768 seconds (approximately 28 feet). Tasca will have lane choice against Ferro in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Frank Manzo                             8 David Ray
E2   ****WINNER****  0.063  5.454 262.74                     0.072  5.885 191.51
 Prior rounds:
E1    (G Beckner   ) 0.071  5.477 263.10      (B Mullins   ) 0.084  5.596 255.19
 Qualified:             #1  5.469 262.44                        #8  5.716 253.18

Ray's car danced over next to the centerline on the top end and he had to lift. It didn't really matter, Manzo left first and ran the quickest run ever - he has lane choice against Snyder in the semifinals. Frank Manzo's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.419, 660ft-3.591/210.93mph, 1,000ft-4.599.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink