Sun, 23 Sep 2007, 02:18 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  799 Sean Bellemeur                         62 Clint Thompson               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.037  5.622 255.43                     0.048  5.804 254.28
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Anderson  ) 0.037  5.684 254.76      (S Harker    ) 0.069  5.701 254.33
 Qualified:            #11  5.737 251.25                       #14  5.753 252.76

Bellemeur with the starting line advantage and runs low E.T. of the event for the win light. Thompson drove through some tire shake right off the starting line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  237 Von Smith                               9 Roger Bateman                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.084  5.648 255.00                     0.088  5.696 251.91
 Prior rounds:
E1    (K Ray       ) 0.069  5.651 255.73      (D Taylor    ) 0.069  5.758 251.67
 Qualified:             #2  5.634 254.90                       #10  5.714 252.57

The leave the line together, but then is all Smith for the win light. Smith will give up lane choice to Bellemeur in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Bob Newberry                          418 Lee Callaway                 
E2                   0.056 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.099  5.773 251.86
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Snyder    ) 0.046  5.650 256.94      (J Jones     ) 0.086  5.694 253.04
 Qualified:             #4  5.644 255.82                       #12  5.740 251.39

Newberry made quick move toward the centerline and almost collected the 60-foot ESPN camera...apparently he had leak and something got under his tire. Callaway is in the semifinal with another good looking pass.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   54 Vern Moats                              5 Cy Chesterman                
E2                   0.097  7.177 124.89     ****WINNER****  0.046  5.740 256.11
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Payne     ) 0.229  6.839 151.85      (K Kinsley   ) 0.028  5.643 257.19
 Qualified:            #16  5.769 250.32                        #8  5.698 256.60

Chesterman with a big starting line advantage and good clean pass to go to the semifinal. He will have lane choice over Callaway in the semifinal. Moats was shaking right off the starting line and then started drifting toward the centerline before he lifted.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink