Sun, 8 Jun 2008, 10:38 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 11th annual Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Andy Bohl                              53 Roger Bateman                
E1                   0.071  5.715 250.88     ****WINNER****  0.084  5.679 249.95
 Qualified:             #9  5.677 253.52                        #8  5.653 253.71

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 69 percent, barometer 29.17 inches, adjusted altitude 3,267 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

Bohl with a starting line advantage, but Bateman has him chased down by 330 feet and takes the win. Roger Bateman's MOV: 0.0234 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Steve Harker                           10 Cy Chesterman                
E1                   0.106  5.786 252.52     ****WINNER****  0.027  5.720 242.54
 Qualified:             #7  5.650 255.19                       #10  5.683 253.90

Chesterman with a big starting line advantage and never looks back for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  551 Vern Moats                              8 Von Smith                    
E1                   0.120  5.979 246.66     ****WINNER****  0.164  5.633 255.15
 Qualified:            #16  5.765 250.97                        #1  5.604 256.84

Moats with the starting line advantage, but after that is was all Smith. Smith will have lane choice over Bateman in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  365 Bobby Martin                            7 Brian Hough                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  5.635 253.75                     0.028  5.704 250.92
 Qualified:             #5  5.640 255.73                       #12  5.697 252.71

A couple great lights and then Martin drives away with his best pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 Doug Gordon                          3541 Kevin Newburgh               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  6.092 251.02                     0.021  6.343 172.04
 Qualified:             #6  5.649 257.24                       #18  5.852 246.26

Newburgh in as the second alternate, because Paul Anderson's mother had an accident in the pits and was transported to the hospital. Newburgh with a great light and then around 1000 feet it appeared the engine let go. That was when Gordon was able to chase him down for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  484 Kebin Kinsley                           2 Jay Payne                    
E1                   0.112  5.728 251.02     ****WINNER****  0.067  5.666 253.14
 Qualified:            #13  5.705 248.48                        #4  5.621 256.94

Payne was out of the gate first and with another good looking pass moves into round two. Payne will give up lane choice to Martin in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  302 John Bojec                             32 Mick Snyder                  
E1                   0.083  5.981 249.53     ****WINNER****  0.165  5.640 255.05
 Qualified:            #14  5.706 251.63                        #3  5.619 255.97

Bojec with the starting line advantage, but Snyder has the difference made up by 150 feet. Snyder will have lane choice against Gordon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  502 John Foster                             1 Frank Manzo                  
E1                   0.070  5.813 247.11     ****WINNER****  0.063  5.612 257.97
 Qualified:            #15  5.731 248.57                        #2  5.611 257.97

Manzo is facing his 165th different driver.

Manzo is out of the gate first and never looked back for the win and will have lane choice over Chesterman in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink