Sun, 23 Sep 2007, 03:56 PM Pro Modified Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Pro Modified 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
 1152 Tony Pontieri                           3 Josh Hernandez               
E2                   0.049  6.075 236.13     ****WINNER****  0.001  6.020 239.65
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Knowles   ) 0.123  6.144 232.91      (S Bailey    ) 0.033  6.080 239.02
 Qualified:             #5  6.073 235.15                        #4  6.063 238.09

Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 29.37 inches, adjusted altitude 2,495 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Hernandez with a near perfect light and great pass to move into the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5835 Raymond Vettel                        320 Steve Engel                  
E2                  -0.016  9.605 106.22     ****WINNER****  0.190  9.667 101.96
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Tindle    ) 0.022  6.508 210.54      (S Ray       ) 0.385  6.138 239.44
 Qualified:            #14  6.408 221.02                        #6  6.097 239.87

Vettel goes red and Engel moves on as he clicked it off early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4610 Harold Laird                         1986 John Russo                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.810  6.267 181.57                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Commisso  ) 0.081  6.088 235.80      (T Coughlin  ) 0.062  6.039 241.80
 Qualified:             #7  6.098 235.80                        #2  6.022 241.63

Laird with the easy win and he will have lane choice against Engel in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shelly Payne                            1 Jay Payne                    
E2                   0.044  7.391 153.23     ****WINNER****  0.067  6.067 238.68
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Stivers   ) 0.053  6.433 209.49                     0.098  6.011 239.27
 Qualified:             #9  6.100 236.80                        #1  6.012 239.02

Shelly Payne with the starting line advantage, but then it was all Jay for the win. Payne will give up lane choice to Hernandez in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink