Sun, 18 Apr 2010, 03:46 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 John Lombardo Jr.                       8 Jay Payne                    
E2                   0.085  5.676 254.62     ****WINNER****  0.058  5.683 254.04
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Veney     ) 0.082  5.678 254.42      (L Miner     ) 0.083  5.726 251.20
 Qualified:             #6  5.702 253.61                        #3  5.680 254.23

12:19 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 27.76 inches, adjusted altitude 4,623 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.

This is the first time Lombardo Jr. and Payne have faced each other in eliminations. This is Lombardo's 7th national event start. A good looking drag race! Payne left first and he needed that advantage as Lombardo ran the quicker elapsed time.

Jay Payne's incremental margins: 60ft(0.007), 330 ft(0.015), 660ft(0.022), 1,000ft(0.021). MOV: 0.0206 seconds (approximately 8 feet).

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.523, 660ft-3.749/202.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.792.
Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.983 sec., 330ft-2.535, 660ft-3.754/203.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.798.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Sean O'Bannon                           4 Tony Bartone                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.674 254.95                     0.142  5.721 248.11
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Atchison  ) 0.091  5.670 255.00      (M Woznichak ) 0.047  5.768 250.83
 Qualified:             #5  5.696 255.43                        #4  5.686 252.61

This is the first time O'Bannon and Bartone have faced each other in eliminations. Bartone was late at the tree and he was all over his lane. A good looking pass for O'Bannon and he moves on to the semi's.

Sean O'Bannon's incremental margins: 60ft(0.101), 330 ft(0.104), 660ft(0.121), 1,000ft(0.136). MOV: 0.1508 seconds (approximately 55 feet).

Sean O'Bannon's incremental times: 60ft-0.978 sec., 330ft-2.537, 660ft-3.755/203.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.793.
Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.538, 660ft-3.773/200.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.826.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   63 Clint Thompson                          9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2   ****WINNER****  0.054  5.688 254.62                     0.044  5.705 255.15
 Prior rounds:
E1    (K Ray       ) 0.090  5.662 254.95      (K Webster   ) 0.083  5.721 254.62
 Qualified:             #2  5.679 255.92                        #7  5.712 253.95

Thompson is 2 - 1 against Gasparrelli in prior events. A good looking side-by-side drag race! Thompson will give lane choice to Payne in round three. Clint Thompson's MOV: 0.0073 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

Clint Thompson's incremental times: 60ft-0.964 sec., 330ft-2.536, 660ft-3.762/202.39 mph, 1,000ft-4.805.
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.974 sec., 330ft-2.546, 660ft-3.044/000.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.822.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   78 Daniel Oliver                         717 Brian Thiel                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.051  5.669 254.23                     0.047  5.734 252.76
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R August Jr ) 0.094  5.663 253.66      (B Hough     ) 0.059  5.788 249.90
 Qualified:             #1  5.663 252.33                        #8  5.749 252.57

This is the first time Oliver and Thiel have faced each other in eliminations. There was some question as to whether or not Oliver would be able to make the call today. I'm told he got his chute caught on something as they were leaving the shutdown area after round one, and that did some damage to the body and tin work. The car looks good and runs even better - low ET of the round to advance to the semi's.

Daniel Oliver's incremental margins: 60ft(0.021), 330 ft(0.034), 660ft(0.048), 1,000ft(0.057). MOV: 0.0615 seconds (approximately 23 feet).

Daniel Oliver's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.518, 660ft-3.740/202.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.784.
Brian Thiel's incremental times: 60ft-0.992 sec., 330ft-2.556, 660ft-3.792/200.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.845.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink