Sun, 21 Oct 2007, 12:48 PM Nitro Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Torco Nitro 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:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  717 Jeff Diehl                            499 Todd Simpson                 
E1                   0.128  8.372 101.41     ****WINNER****  0.131  6.283 148.05
 Qualified:             #4  4.986 304.39                        #8  5.075 284.99

12:20 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 29.85 inches, adjusted altitude 1,202 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

The right lane has been a challenge for a lot of the quicker sportsman cars in the early round. Let's see how the Pro's get down the track.

Diehl gets off the line first and stays in front until after the sixty foot lights, when both cars strike the tires. Diehl pumps it a couple of times and gives it up. Simpson gathers it up and gets to just after mid-track and then the engine goes BANG big time, with pieces flying across the track, and a lot of fire initially. The Camaro coasts on down the track to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  121 Terry Haddock                         443 Mitch King                   
E1                   0.134  5.314 265.12     ****WINNER****  0.138  5.308 214.55
 Qualified:             #3  4.981 292.27                        #7  5.068 265.69

Nothing but some small pieces on the track, so no major clean up.

Haddock is away first and stays there until just past the sixty foot lights, where he had to pump the throttle. King has it all his way until near the 1000 foot lights, where the car slows and the chutes come out. It was almost a big mistake, as Haddock was quickly closing on the slowing King. Very close coasting finish. Mitch King's MOV: 0.0021 seconds (approximately 10 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 Cory Lee                                2 Jack Wyatt                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.107  4.951 306.40                     0.106  5.248 230.41
 Qualified:             #2  4.931 305.22                        #6  5.067 283.19

Both cars leave together and Wyatt stays in front to the sixty foot lights. Wyatt's engine starts to drop cylinders down track , as Lee thunders on by for a .123 lead at 1000 feet and .297 at the finish line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  206 Bob Gilbertson                          1 Dale Creasy Jr.              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.101  4.906 315.86                     0.086 13.890  67.41
 Qualified:             #1  4.916 305.91                        #5  5.033 290.88

Creasy is away first and goes up in smoke big time immediately. Gilbertson shows the rest of the field his power and snakes down the 1320 with the best numbers of the round.

12:33 p.m. In round two, Lee has lane choice over Simpson and Gilbertson over King.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink