Sun, 16 Nov 2008, 06:00 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 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
    2 Jay Payne                              32 Mick Snyder                  
E3                   0.062  5.622 255.39     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.616 257.04
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Nothstein ) 0.116  5.598 256.36      (M Ferro     ) 0.097  5.617 256.94
E1    (S Bellemeur ) 0.113  5.658 251.34      (R August Jr ) 0.054  5.600 255.87
 Qualified:             #3  5.585 258.17                        #2  5.565 258.86

2:53 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 16 percent, barometer 28.92 inches, adjusted altitude 2,937 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.

Down to the semi finals in the Alky classes and this should be a good match. Both have been in the 5.5s and good speeds. Even at the start but Payne uses just about all the left lane between the start and finish. That slowed him enough that Snyder snakes his way into the final round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Steve Harker                          365 Bobby Martin                 
E3   ****WINNER****  0.073  5.561 249.81                     0.044  5.693 244.92
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Oliver    ) 0.106  5.578 251.11      (S Gasparrell) 0.050  5.647 253.52
E1    (D Hudson    ) 0.119  5.549 257.24      (R Bateman   ) 0.060  5.685 253.90
 Qualified:             #1  5.556 252.57                       #13  5.687 247.79

Martin got the car repaired after his trip to the sand but even a good leave isn't enough to hold off Harker. That sets up a Snyder vs Harker final with Harker getting lane choice by about a nickel.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink