Sun, 12 Aug 2007, 01:48 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dan Bennett

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 26th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  596 Paul Anderson                           5 Cy Chesterman                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.835 251.67                     0.049 13.968  56.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (K Williams  ) 0.087  5.782 251.49      (C Foster    ) 0.151  5.796 248.25
 Qualified:             #6  5.742 250.51                        #3  5.720 249.63

Chesterman annihilates the slicks at the hit and can't get the car to quit jumping or settle down.

Anderson goes into less severe shake, pedals once, and heads on down the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Steve Harker                          738 Mike Bell                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.137  5.614 255.39                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Bateman   ) 0.095  5.716 253.37      (H Coolidge  ) 0.076  5.773 249.76
 Qualified:             #5  5.728 251.53                       #13  5.827 248.25

Bell can't hold the car and pulls through the beams without being able to stop and stage.

Harker picks up a tenth and is going to be a real factor this weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Jay Payne                             501 Scott McVey                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.148  5.527 261.72                     0.083  5.821 249.35
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Carlson   ) 0.156  5.641 257.87      (A Bohl      ) 0.074  5.786 250.69
 Qualified:             #1  5.636 257.87                        #9  5.810 249.03

Payne flexes his muscles. That's the quickest ET and highest MPH of the meet. Track record, too.

Of course, there's a guy named Manzo who was sitting behind the water box watching all this happen.

Payne has lane choice over Harker by almost a tenth.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                             6 Mick Snyder                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.059  5.506 264.23                     0.065  5.698 253.09
 Prior rounds:
E1    (L Van Hauen ) 0.096  5.612 260.86      (V Moats     ) 0.077  5.803 248.39
 Qualified:             #2  5.647 258.71                       #10  5.813 247.47

Manzo sez, "I got something for ya, Payne".

Snyder runs a great pass but has to wonder what hit him.

The Lucas car gets both ends of the track record and lane choice (obviously) over Anderson.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink