Sun, 10 Oct 2004, 12:31 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 Mickey Ferro                           13 Paul Gill
E2                   0.109  5.681 251.34     ****WINNER****  0.107  5.643 256.60
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Martin    ) 0.200  5.725 250.83      (J McCulloch ) 0.307  5.712 249.03
 Qualified:             #7  5.765 245.00                        #2  5.648 256.45

12:16 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 68 percent, barometer 29.45 inches, adjusted altitude 1,070 feet, track temperature 80 degrees.

Gill got off the starting line just a couple of thousandths before Ferro but fell behind at 60 feet. The two reached the 330 foot marker together, then Gill pulled away to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1509 Dan Pomponio                         1224 David Ray
E2                   0.048  6.126 233.68     ****WINNER****  0.087  5.691 253.85
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Mullins   ) 0.158 11.126  74.37      (C English   ) 0.121  5.699 252.66
 Qualified:            #12  5.881 242.98                        #4  5.685 252.10

Pomponio had the quicker start and was ahead at 60 feet. Then he started to spin the tires and got loose, giving Ray the chance to get by him. Ray got the win and will move on to the third round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   24 Paul Lee                                4 Bob Newberry
E2                   0.060 10.066  81.93     ****WINNER****  0.106  5.575 256.50
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Brown     ) 0.221  5.817 250.83      (F Schuster  ) 0.313  5.654 254.14
 Qualified:             #6  5.725 251.39                        #3  5.678 251.81

Lee shook the tires and shut it down at 330 feet. Newberry had a good run to earn lane choice over Gill in the third round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  303 Todd Veney                              1 Frank Manzo
E2                   0.033  5.672 253.14     ****WINNER****  0.038  5.557 260.66
 Prior rounds:
E1    (E Lourie    ) 0.050  5.758 250.55      (D Cox       ) 0.140  5.584 257.63
 Qualified:             #9  5.827 247.38                        #1  5.580 258.76

Veney shook the tires for the first 300 feet down the track. Manzo was behind at 60 feet but then got by Veney to take the win. Manzo will have lane choice over Ray in round three.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink