Mon, 1 Sep 2008, 02:24 PM Pro Modified Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  763 Kirk Kuhns                             43 Rickie Smith                 
E2                   0.142 10.031  86.64     ****WINNER****  0.063  6.045 236.26
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Baker     ) 0.094  6.094 233.28      (S Ray       ) 0.053  9.273  90.50
 Qualified:            #14  6.113 232.15                        #6  6.035 235.19

2:00 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 29 percent, barometer 29.19 inches, adjusted altitude 3,344 feet, track temperature 121 degrees.

The track proved tricky for the fuel cars a few minutes ago, maybe "the tricky one" will find it to his liking.

Yup, that's the way it played out. Kuhns shook hard and broke, Smith eased his way down the hot, slick track on a smooth run, almost matching his qualifying time.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 Mike Castellana                       501 Mike Knowles                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.055  6.055 237.96                     0.067  6.144 208.49
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Coughlin  ) 0.092  6.047 237.25      (R Stivers   ) 0.409  7.744 123.69
 Qualified:             #7  6.036 237.34                        #2  6.025 240.17

There will be a nitrous car in the finals...Castellana left first and was never headed, also making a smooth pass down the 1320. He will face his teammate, Smith, in the semifinals and Smith will choose the lanes.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Tim Tindle                              3 Jay Payne                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.071  6.078 236.80                     0.068  6.112 236.46
 Prior rounds:
E1    (H Laird     ) 0.018  6.024 237.92      (V Smith     ) 0.083  6.049 237.00
 Qualified:             #4  6.030 235.39                        #5  6.034 232.59

This was a good drag race, Payne leading at 60 feet, then Tindle with an ever-increasing lead the rest of the way. Tim Tindle's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.015), 330 ft(0.008), 660ft(0.018), 1,000ft(0.027). MOV: 0.0316 seconds (approximately 11 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Joshua Hernandez                       38 Danny Rowe                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.153  6.034 239.14                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Commisso  ) 0.031  6.010 240.47      (T Lastor    ) 0.059  6.098 237.67
 Qualified:             #1  5.993 241.20                        #8  6.045 237.30

So far, the best pass by a blown car this round is Tindle's 6.078, the worst by a nitrous car Castellana's 6.055, but Hernandez turned that around with another awesome run on what amounted to a solo pass because Rowe left way before the tree was activated. Hernandez will have lane choice against Tindle in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink