Mon, 3 Sep 2007, 04:00 PM Pro Modified Round 3 Eliminations

By Dan Bennett

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  320 Steve Engel                             3 Josh Hernandez               
E3                   0.044  6.138 240.08     ****WINNER****  0.028  6.083 238.43
 Prior rounds:
E2    (S Cannon    ) 0.082  6.094 241.11      (S Payne     ) 0.038  6.112 239.48
E1    (M Stawicki  ) 0.095  6.053 242.15      (M Castellana) 0.065  6.053 239.10
 Qualified:             #3  6.062 241.41                        #2  6.044 238.81

Hernandez goes to the final round with a decisive performance and another 240 mph blast.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4610 Harold Laird                         1986 John Russo                   
E3   ****WINNER****  0.083  6.202 223.84                     0.130  6.175 233.56
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Knowles   ) 0.056  6.085 235.35      (M Janis     ) 0.033  6.156 226.35
E1    (J Payne     ) 0.074  6.152 231.87      (S Ray       ) 0.352  6.617 193.65
 Qualified:            #13  6.195 230.69                        #9  6.085 238.76

That was pretty close. Laird quick staged and welded Russo to the tree. Both cars were charging hard but Russo's Firebird did a quick wiggle or two approaching the 660.

Harold Laird's MOV: 0.0202 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink