Thu, 11 Feb 2010, 06:06 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Brian Smith Runs 5.930/245.00, Now #2
Right Lane: Bret Williamson Runs 5.727/248.71, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 43 percent, barometer 29.01 inches, adjusted altitude 2,092 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

Smith is loose early and then out of the groove on the top end and over by the wall. Williamson with a nice pass to start the weekend...Bret Williamson's incremental times: 60ft-0.952 sec., 330ft-2.523, 660ft-3.761/198.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.824.

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Left Lane: Ron August Jr Runs 5.788/252.57, Now #2
Right Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 6.238/188.75, Now #4

August Jr. is real loose right at the hit and pedals it. He gets it back in the groove. Rupert slows on the top end...

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Left Lane: Mark Woznichak Runs 5.769/253.75, Now #2
Right Lane: Keeter Ray No Time, Now #6

Woznichak was straight down the groove...Mark Woznichak's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.563, 660ft-3.820/198.96 mph, 1,000ft-4.880. Ray was on a nice pass, but there was an issue with his E.T., so he will ge a no time...Keeter Ray's incremental times: 60ft-0.469 sec., 330ft-2.035, 660ft-3.258/202.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.303.

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Left Lane: Daniel Oliver Runs 5.853/255.00, Now #5
Right Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 5.733/252.90, Now #2

Thompson with a nice pass, straight down the groove. Clint Thompson's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.553, 660ft-3.800/201.49 mph, 1,000ft-4.848. Oliver with a good pass...Daniel Oliver's incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.644, 660ft-3.915/197.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.969.

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Left Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 8.970/131.90, Now #9
Right Lane: Brian Thiel Runs 5.730/251.86, Now #2

Lombardo Jr. shook and shut off. Thiel with a good looking pass to go to the number two spot. Brian Thiel's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.522, 660ft-3.776/198.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.836.

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Left Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.654/256.36, Now #1
Right Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 9.353/95.15, Now #11

Gordon with tire shake right off the starting line and clicked it off. Hough launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.525, 660ft-3.744/203.25 mph, 1,000ft-4.777.

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Left Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.863/255.24, Now #8
Right Lane: Jay Payne Runs 9.427/91.06, Now #13

Payne with a lot of tire shake right off the starting line and clicked it off. Gasparrelli with a clean pass to get in the top half of the field. Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.627, 660ft-3.921/196.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.979.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.570/257.28, Now #1
Right Lane: Sean O'Bannon No Time, Now #16

O'Bannon was real loose early and drifting toward the centerline and finally took out the 1000-foot cones. Bartone with a great looking pass and straight to the number one spot...Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.672/206.51 mph, 1,000ft-4.697.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink