Sun, 30 Mar 2008, 02:52 PM Pro Modified Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jay Payne                            1941 Eddie Ware                   
E2                   0.017 10.635  76.36     ****WINNER****  0.074  6.109 233.03
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Stivers   ) 0.022  7.801 122.89      (R Commisso  ) 0.087  6.423 235.35
 Qualified:             #7  6.056 236.59                       #15  6.163 230.69

1:40 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 83 percent, barometer 29.98 inches, adjusted altitude 1,830 feet, track temperature 98 degrees. The Sun is starting to peek through the clouds, so the track temperature will probably go up before the semifinals.

Payne did not have lane choice and his car did not like the left lane, shaking and getting very sideways right off the starting line. Ware had no problems at all - at least none we could see - his car going straight down the groove.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1211 Mike Ashley                          1152 Tony Pontieri                
E2                   0.054  6.069 238.05     ****WINNER****  0.020  6.060 236.46
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Engel     ) 0.075  6.045 240.34      (S Ray       ) 0.059 14.017  60.53
 Qualified:            #14  6.104 239.23                        #6  6.020 236.96

Nice race and a holeshot win for Pontieri. Tony Pontieri's incremental margins: 60ft(0.025), 330 ft(0.033), 660ft(0.045), 1,000ft(0.045). MOV: 0.0432 seconds (approximately 15 feet). He will have lane choice against Ware in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2103 Joe Baker                              38 Danny Rowe                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.048  5.993 239.61                     0.067  6.016 239.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Tindle    ) 0.058  6.000 241.11      (S Payne     ) 0.102  6.065 238.76
 Qualified:             #4  5.981 241.24                        #5  6.011 238.34

Rowe had a very good run and a good light, but Baker was better at both ends of the track, running his second five of the event. Joe Baker's incremental margins: 60ft(0.000), 330 ft(0.033), 660ft(0.041), 1,000ft(0.043). MOV: 0.0428 seconds (approximately 15 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Joshua Hernandez                     1986 John Russo                   
E2                   0.048  6.149 192.38     ****WINNER****  0.018  6.084 236.46
 Prior rounds:
E1    (H Laird     ) 0.051  5.998 242.15      (K Kuhns     ) 0.122  6.081 237.96
 Qualified:             #1  5.962 242.50                        #8  6.058 241.50

Hernandez led most of the way, but something happened to his car and he had the chutes out before the finish line. John Russo's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.011), 330 ft(-0.030), 660ft(-0.043), 1,000ft(-0.042). MOV: 0.0956 seconds (approximately 27 feet). Russo gets the win light and will face Baker in the semifinals. Baker will choose the lanes.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink