Sun, 5 Nov 2006, 03:41 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dan Bennett

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, Shortline Express Markets Gambler Shootout at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   64 Clint Thompson                        757 Larry Miner                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.075  6.300 246.75                     0.050  9.450 127.52
 Qualified:             #3  5.668 251.86                        #6  5.690 251.30

12:22 p.m. and we're ready for the Funny Cars.

Qualifying was a stunning display of power, as this is the quickest 8 car field in NHRA history.

The sun has been shining brightly all morning so the track is up to a temperature that should support some great runs.

Thompson uses his lane choice to line up on the left side.

Thompson won the 2006 Sonoma Nationals

Both cars went instantly into shake and bounced to the right. Thompson recovered first and eased back into the throttle for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   62 Brian Hough                           727 Ron August Jr                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.016  5.649 255.10                     0.023  5.881 250.83
 Qualified:             #2  5.655 254.18                        #7  5.694 254.76

Hough won the Seattle Nationals this year and has been in 2 Division 6 finals.

August won the 2006 Las Vegas National event earlier this year and was the #1 qualifier at Sonoma.

I'd guess the temperature as being in the high 60s right now.

Nice pass for Brian and he takes the win. August was very loose in the front half of the track as his car was using up just about the entire width of the right lane.

Neither car made it off the track at the top end so we are on a short delay until they can be towed out of the way.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  806 Steve Harker                           73 Doug Gordon                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.049  5.645 254.28                     0.064  5.963 246.75
 Qualified:             #1  5.646 254.18                        #8  5.710 250.27

Harker was runner up at the Atlanta Nationals and has been in 3 Division finals this year with a record of 1-2

Gordon has 2 Division 7 wins in 2006 at Tucson and Fontana

This should be a great drag race as both cars are evenly matched. Harker has run a best of 5.575 and Gordon has gone 5.580

It's the quickest and fastest run of the weekend for Harker as he goes right down the groove. As with the other cars in the right lane, Gordon got into some serious shake right about at the gear change. He managed to get the car calmed down but the race was already over.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6237 Roger Bateman                           4 Jay Payne                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.034  5.738 250.60                     0.054  5.795 254.42
 Qualified:             #4  5.676 252.43                        #5  5.683 256.75

Bateman was runner up at the Sonoma National event. He has 2 Division 5 runner ups at Topeka and Earlville

Payne has been to the finals in four divisions this year - 2, 3, 4, and 5

The last pair pull into the water and the crowd is watching intently. For a Divisional race, I've been pretty impressed with the amount of spectators both yesterday and today.

Payne gets down the lane better than anyone else this session, but even his great driving skills and tuneup wasn't enough to save this one.

Bateman was pretty aggressive in the other lane, though his car's wandering was much less than Payne's. He gets across the finish line first with room to spare.

12:37 p.m. and that's all for the first Alcohol session.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink