Tue, 10 Feb 2009, 06:18 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                           457 Tony Bartone                 
E2                  -0.011  5.478 263.98     ****WINNER****  0.043  5.684 254.47
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Woznichak ) 0.027  5.484 263.36      (S Bellemeur ) 0.063  5.993 246.98
 Qualified:             #1  5.585 259.56                        #9  5.837 244.78

2:59 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 25 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,712 feet, track temperature 81 degrees.

Here we are five days late and going into the second round of Alcohol. Bartone is 9-8 against Manzo for his career and very few could claim to have a winning record against The Champ. Well, make that 10-8. Manzo goes red after showing a huge performance advantage. Manzo's time and speed were the 10th quickest and fastest in the history of the sport.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   72 Doug Gordon                            63 Clint Thompson               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.057  5.511 261.88                     0.085  5.615 254.18
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Payne     ) 0.058  5.636 255.43      (D Oliver    ) 0.087 13.797  74.81
 Qualified:             #7  5.802 255.29                        #2  5.633 253.61

Doug Gordon resets both ends of his personal bests as he takes out a game Thompson. Gordon was in the lead at the green and never trailed.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  717 Brian Thiel                          6843 Ken Webster                  
E2                   0.049  5.798 249.35     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.631 258.37
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R August    ) 0.079  7.163 139.18      (R Konno     ) 0.087  5.638 257.19
 Qualified:            #12  6.088 241.97                        #4  5.719 254.90

Webster and Thiel left pretty much together but Webster pulls out his second 5.63 in a row. That gives him choice over Bartone in one semi final.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  714 Dennis Taylor                        7238 Bret Williamson              
E2                   0.137  5.675 252.71     ****WINNER****  0.085  5.662 250.69
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S O'Bannon  ) 0.157  5.649 242.71      (B Smith     ) 0.082 10.558  78.12
 Qualified:            #14  6.700 147.62                        #6  5.792 245.72

Taylor is late and just about hands the round win to Williamson. Gordon has choice over Williamson in the semis.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink