Sat, 11 Oct 2003, 11:55 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 18th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec 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: Thomas Frickenschmidt Runs 5.813/250.62, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.844/248.41, Was #9
Right Lane: Jimmy Jones Runs 5.963/244.69, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.926/245.70, Was #11

10:25 AM Frickenschmidt skated around all the way through the run, improved on yesterday's best but still doesn't make the show. No apparent problems for Jones, just not enough to get in the field.

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Left Lane: Shawn Jones Runs 6.027/242.91, Now #12; Best prior run: 11.543/75.49, Was #17
Right Lane: John Patton Runs 5.680/252.59, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.731/251.18, Was #6

Patton makes a good pass, the quickest of his career, and he gets in the third spot for now. Jones was moving around, first toward the wall, then back toward the center, but he gets in the field in the 12th spot.

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Left Lane: Joseph Percoco Runs 6.447/202.38, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.241/224.55, Was #14
Right Lane: Jay Payne Runs 8.873/92.96, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.743/248.41, Was #7

Payne gets to half-track, pops the burst panel and shuts down. Percoco gets to half-track, has to pedal and he doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Tate Branch Runs 9.928/83.58, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.753/241.35, Was #8
Right Lane: Eddie McDow Runs 6.486/215.25, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.449/216.97, Was #15

Branch gets about 300 feet out, the engine pops and he shuts down. McDow had a clean run but doesn't have the power to improve.

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Left Lane: Cy Chesterman Runs 5.905/196.50, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.656/256.62, Was #1
Right Lane: Tom Bristow No Time, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.124/238.53, Was #13

Bristow left before the tree was activated and gets no time. Chesterman had problems near the end of the run, the engine making a loud pop about 1000 feet out.

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Left Lane: Steve Burck No Time, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.661/216.19, Was #16
Right Lane: Mert Littlefield Runs 5.809/234.55, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.921/239.80, Was #10

Burck hits the throttle, loses traction and shuts down. Littlefield goes right down the groove and moves up a spot to ninth.

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Left Lane: Bob Newberry Runs 5.653/254.81, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.709/252.88, Was #6
Right Lane: Ron Rice No Time, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.737/170.35, Was #17

Rice left before the tree was activated. Newberry skates around a little early in the run but makes his quickest pass of the weekend to take the pole.

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Left Lane: Ron Morrison No Time, Now #18; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Robert Lee Runs 6.526/153.66, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.693/254.81, Was #5

Morrison had problems getting the engine started and was pushed off the track. Lee had problems near the end of the run and shut down.

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Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.674/239.42, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.673/255.02, Was #3

Gasparrelli was on a great pass until just before the finish-line, then a flash of fire came from underneath the car.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink