Sat, 18 Sep 2010, 06:58 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CONCORD, N.C. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Third annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  572 Brent Henry                           307 Cassie Simonton              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.767 252.80                     0.134  6.092 184.22
 Qualified:             #6  5.674 257.09                        #9  5.684 255.05

6:31 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 45 percent, barometer 29.43 inches, adjusted altitude 3,014 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Simonton carded career-best numbers during qualifying, is looking for her first-ever national event round win.

Well, she will have to try again another day. Her car kept going to the left and she almost crossed the centerline, but by then Henry was out in front anyway.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  226 Melinda Green-King                    303 Todd Veney                   
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.069  5.755 244.29
 Qualified:            #11  5.811 248.16                        #4  5.634 254.57

Green-King also carded career-bests during qualifying, but was unable to answer the staging call for eliminations and Veney got a free pass to the quarterfinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   36 Thomas Carter                          23 Mark Billington              
E1                   0.059  5.704 247.57     ****WINNER****  0.085  5.669 253.14
 Qualified:            #10  5.719 243.37                        #5  5.668 255.10

This was Billington's best-ever starting spot at a national event. This is the first time Carter and Billington have faced each other in eliminations.

Close arce, Carter with the early advantage, Billington taking the lead at the 1,000-foot marker. Mark Billington's MOV: 0.0095 seconds (approximately 3 feet). He faces Veney next round and will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   62 Ken Webster                            12 John Anderika                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  5.675 251.86                     0.169  6.036 233.68
 Qualified:             #8  5.682 252.80                        #7  5.674 252.14

Anderika ran a career-best speed during qualifying. This is the first time Webster and Anderika have faced each other in eliminations. Both finished second in their respective divisions last year.

THis one wasd all Webster, with almost a tenth of a second in hand at the tree and a clean, quick run. Anderika's car was all over the lane (many have done the same in the right lane) and he threw in the towel well before the stripe.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  331 Tony Bogolo                            63 Clint Thompson               
E1                  -0.003 17.877  24.51     ****WINNER****  0.128  5.598 257.97
 Qualified:            #12  5.817 241.67                        #3  5.610 258.22

This is Bogolo's first NHRA national event since the '91 Columbus race. he went red by three thousandths. Thompson made his best run of the event and will have lane chocie against henry in the quarterfinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   37 John Bojec                            196 Bill Naves                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.097  6.322 247.52                     0.108  8.488 107.52
 Qualified:             #2  5.604 259.36                       #13  8.430 105.36

This is the first time Bojec and Naves have faced each other in eliminations.

This was kind of ugly, both cars heading for the centerline on the launch. Both pedaled, Naves' car went left again and he had to lift, while Bojec struggled to the stripe for the win. He gets a bye to the quarterfinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                                Bye
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059 10.663  82.90     
 Qualified:             #1  5.579 260.36                     Bye

Manzo qualified #1 dfor the 80th time in his career and this is his 26th career bye run.

Manzo's final qualifying pass was marked by tire shake and this one was no different, the car shaking and turning left. He faces Webster in round two and Webster will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink