Sat, 20 Oct 2007, 03:58 PM Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Alcohol Funny Car at the 2007 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series, IHRA World Finals Presented by The U.S. Air Force featuring UTI CHampionship Sunday listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Terry Munroe Runs 5.828/241.15, Now #2; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Rocky Hummel Runs 6.230/183.84, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.230/210.67, Was #15

3:22 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 29.52 inches, adjusted altitude 2,145 feet, track temperature 112 degrees. Trevor Lebsack is on the bump spot at 5.975.

Lots of strong runs in Pro Stock and Pro Mod, this should be a great session.Munroe didn't make a pass last night and certainly made up for it today. The car made a steady move towards the centerline and he came close to the 330 foot block before pulling the car back into the groove. This keeps him in the chase, but still two rounds behind

Hummel runs the same ET as earlier and slows a bunch with a lot of smoke out from underneath the car.

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Left Lane: Tim Stevens Runs 5.826/241.89, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.633/159.55, Was #17
Right Lane: Ronnie Midyette Runs 15.645/51.59, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.191/225.00, Was #15

Midyette only goes a few feet before the slicks are up in smoke. Stevens makes a much better run this session and just misses the top spot by 0.003 seconds.

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Left Lane: Bunny Burkett No Time, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.129/232.83, Was #14
Right Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 6.008/235.27, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.145/231.60, Was #15

Melinda Green-King is on the bump spot at 5.943. Burkett leaves before the tree, but it didn't really matter as the tire shake and chatter drove the car towards the guard rail and she had to lift. McMillen waited almost three tenths before leaving and picked up on his prior performance. Not good enough for this tough field.

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Left Lane: Bill Naves Runs 12.034/68.46, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.128/225.22, Was #14
Right Lane: Scott McNiece Runs 6.043/234.70, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.037/235.39, Was #12

Hugh chatter in the left lane and the car makes a sudden and hard move towards the center line. McNiece doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Tony Bogolo Runs 5.967/228.89, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.074/221.42, Was #13

Bogolo on a single and he makes the most of it to creep up closer to the bump spot.

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Left Lane: Mark Thomas Runs 5.864/242.10, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.954/238.98, Was #9
Right Lane: Trevor Lebsack Runs 7.975/122.79, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.975/233.24, Was #11

Thomas was outside looking in and does what he needed to do to stay in the championship chase. Lebsack joints the chatter and lift club.

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Left Lane: Melinda Green-King Runs 5.887/238.30, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.943/232.47, Was #9
Right Lane: Paul Noakes Runs 5.864/241.93, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.887/239.44, Was #7

Larry Dobbs is on the bump spot at 5.920. Green-King just got bumped and now runs well enough, after a chattering leave and then a move towards the centerline, to bump back in. Noakes pass was without the drama and he moves up two spots on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Larry Dobbs No Time, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.920/240.25, Was #9
Right Lane: Neal Parker Runs 8.455/148.61, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.865/237.21, Was #6

Dobbs was just bumped and then things go from bad to worse, as the engine dies at the end of the burnout and he has to be pushed back behind the line. Parker does another burnout at the green and gives up after a double pump or two.

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Left Lane: Laurie Cannister Runs 5.786/242.50, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.883/237.21, Was #7
Right Lane: Rob Atchison Runs 6.045/228.50, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.823/239.14, Was #1

WOW! Cannister saves the best for last with a straight, clean, and fast pass into the new top spot. Atchison's car isn't quick off the line and slows from last night's best.

3:45 p.m. Melinda Green-King is on the bump spot at 5.887.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink