Sun, 12 Nov 2006, 04:25 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 42nd annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   73 Doug Gordon                           777 John Patton                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.046  5.646 253.61                     0.167  8.726 102.68
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Jones     ) 0.060  5.786 251.34      (B Hough     ) 0.117  5.776 249.81
 Qualified:             #7  5.684 253.52                       #15  5.753 251.72

12:35 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 40 percent, barometer 29.20 inches, adjusted altitude 2,349 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Gordon makes his best run of the weekend and even if Patton hadn't stepped off the pedal at about 600 feet he'd of had a hard time catching him.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6237 Roger Bateman                           6 Dennis Taylor                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.063  5.742 251.95                     0.049  5.761 249.30
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Stickler  ) 0.058  5.720 250.92      (S Gasparrell) 0.066  5.696 252.05
 Qualified:             #3  5.631 255.00                        #6  5.668 252.99

Winner of this pair will get Gordon next round. We have a winner! Roger Bateman's MOV: 0.0053 seconds (approximately 23 inches). Man that was close. If Taylor had a bit straighter run he just might have held him off, but as it was he used a lot of the right lane. Gordon chooses the lane.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   52 Bernie Harrington                       8 David Ray                    
E2                   0.058  7.923 111.78     ****WINNER****  0.092  5.651 256.06
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R August Jr ) 0.065  5.811 243.72      (J Weaver    ) 0.069  5.664 255.82
 Qualified:            #12  5.734 248.89                        #4  5.638 256.26

Harrington was away first but just before half track I saw the blower belt snake out from under the car and slither across the track. Day with the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 Mark Woznichak                         65 Hank Coolidge                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.082  5.757 251.81                     0.216  9.520 101.92
 Prior rounds:
E1    (V Moats     ) 0.075  5.686 251.39      (J Payne     ) 0.008  5.774 234.74
 Qualified:             #9  5.705 249.26                       #16  5.756 247.93

Coolidge has a horrible light and then has the car go away on him. Those two items might have been a package as he was off the throttle early. Woznichak goes on for the win and will face Day in the other semi without choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink