Sun, 6 Jun 2010, 11:08 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Steve Harker                           13 Paul Gill                    
E1                   0.068  5.580 256.36     ****WINNER****  0.061  5.578 258.91
 Qualified:             #8  5.694 253.61                        #9  5.695 251.34

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 58 percent, barometer 29.17 inches, adjusted altitude 2,275 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

Gill is out of the gate first, but Harker has the lead when they go by the Christmas tree. Gill is able to chase him down around 1000 feet and take the win. Paul Gill's MOV: 0.0096 seconds (approximately 4 feet). Gill with his quickest pass of the weekend. harker with his quickest pass in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  572 Brent Henry                            32 Andy Bohl                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  5.638 251.20                     0.178  5.593 255.97
 Qualified:             #7  5.693 252.10                       #10  5.701 252.00

Henry with a big starting line advantage and has the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Brent Henry's MOV: 0.0618 seconds (approximately 23 feet). Henry at his first National event. Henry with his quickest pass of the weekend. Bohl with his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  301 Fred Hagen Jr.                         62 Ken Webster                  
E1                   0.131  5.865 255.63     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.616 255.48
 Qualified:             #6  5.672 252.43                       #11  5.713 252.52

Webster with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Webster with his quickest pass of the weekend in the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Roger Bateman                        710D Alexis De Joria              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.118  5.609 253.47                     0.085  8.865  99.11
 Qualified:             #4  5.639 253.52                       #13  5.751 249.86

DeJoria was out of the gate first and then had a lot of tire shake and she pedaled it and that was all Bateman need to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  153 Jason McKnight                          8 Jay Payne                    
E1                   0.150  6.008 248.98     ****WINNER****  0.112  5.569 260.16
 Qualified:            #12  5.724 251.16                        #5  5.653 249.53

This is the 241st different driver Payne as faced. This is Payne's 700th round of racing. Payne is out of the gate first and never trailed as he runs low E.T. of the round. Then there is no chutes, but Payne gets it stopped.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 John Lombardo Jr.                       7 Chris Foster                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.071  5.732 251.39                     0.126  5.833 253.99
 Qualified:             #3  5.621 256.21                       #14  5.765 251.53

Lombardo is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win as both cars slowed from their qualifying times.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Mickey Ferro                           37 John Bojec                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.066  5.538 259.56                     0.111  5.596 258.07
 Qualified:             #2  5.594 255.77                       #15  5.770 252.38

Ferro is 1 - 0 against Bojec in prior events. Ferro with the starting line advantage and runs low E.T. of the event for the win. Mickey Ferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.450, 660ft-3.648/205.98 mph, 1,000ft-4.671. Bojec with a great pass, a career best E.T. and speed pass in the losing effort. John Bojec's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.490, 660ft-3.696/205.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.724.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                             9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.223  5.537 260.97                     0.053 19.731  46.42
 Qualified:             #1  5.551 259.56                       #17  5.786 255.24

Gasparrelli with a huge starting line advantage, but then had violent tire shake and clicked it off. Manzo with the quickest pass of the event for the win. Frank Manzo's MOV: 4.0241 seconds (more than 100 feet).Frank Manzo's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.474, 660ft-3.662/209.49 mph, 1,000ft-4.676.

Manzo will have lane choice over Gill, Payne will have lane choice over Bateman, Ferro will have lane choice over Henry, and Webster will have lane choice over Lombardo Jr. in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink