Sat, 15 Nov 2008, 04:56 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations |
By Darryl Jackman |
POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 779 Daniel Oliver 118 DJ Cox Jr. E1 ****WINNER**** 0.053 5.682 245.90 0.155 5.638 255.10 Qualified: #8 5.660 253.23 #9 5.664 256.89Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,987 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.
After starting the weekend by bowling for cones this team has come all the way back. First Goodwin's new driver gets the car in the
show on a hail Mary and now he gets a round win. Cox was late and Oliver jumped all over the lights for his holeshot win.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 75 Doug Gordon 6 Mickey Ferro E1 0.077 11.233 76.99 ****WINNER**** 0.051 5.669 256.06 Qualified: #10 5.664 255.05 #7 5.651 259.26These two meet for the very first time in eliminations and now Ferro has a 1-0 lead. Gordon was all over the lane and couldn't come back.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
7 Brian Hough 7735 Steve Gasparrelli
E1 0.125 5.777 252.90 ****WINNER**** 0.101 5.698 255.10
Qualified: #5 5.638 257.58 #12 5.671 254.23
Hough owns Gasparrelli with a 3-1 record. Hough was all over that left lane and Gasparrelli narrows that career won/loss record
to 3-2.Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 33 Marty Nothstein 710D Alexis De Joria E1 ****WINNER**** 0.115 5.666 252.38 No Time Qualified: #6 5.647 252.71 #11 5.669 250.97De Joria's car didn't start until the very last second. She made a short burnout and then compounded the problem by over staging. Nothstein was motioned forward and wound up singling for the win. Tough break for the Patron team and good news for Nothstein.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
3 Sean Bellemeur 2 Jay Payne
E1 0.031 5.818 250.13 ****WINNER**** 0.113 5.658 251.34
Qualified: #14 5.692 253.18 #3 5.585 258.17
For those that need to know this is Payne's 652nd round of alcohol racing. He's also 2-0 against Bellemeur...make that 3-0.
Bellemeur was first at the lights but Payne had the performance edge by about a ton. Payne will have choice over Nothstein in round
2.Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 365 Bobby Martin 53 Roger Bateman E1 ****WINNER**** 0.060 5.685 253.90 0.035 5.867 243.55 Qualified: #13 5.687 247.79 #4 5.604 253.23Bateman now has his first round 1 loss of 2008 in the first round. He just had to do it at the final event of the year. Martin has choice over Gasparrelli.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 32 Mick Snyder 727 Ron August Jr E1 ****WINNER**** 0.054 5.600 255.87 0.070 5.762 252.00 Qualified: #2 5.565 258.86 #15 5.695 253.99August just wasn't in this race. Snyder was first at the lights and a tenth and a half quicker. Snyder has choice over Ferro.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
5 Steve Harker 756 Don Hudson
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.119 5.549 257.24 0.044 5.662 253.85
Qualified: #1 5.556 252.57 #16 5.695 252.57
Hudson becomes the 50th different driver that Harker has faced in Alcohol Funny Car. I guess a bad light really doesn't matter
much in this pairing. Harker misses his career best ET by only .009 and gets to choose the lane when he races Oliver. Good round of
Funny Car!
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