Sun, 10 Oct 2010, 10:08 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 26th annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1320 Wayne Morris                           38 Brian Harvanek               
E1                   0.067  9.825  87.05     ****WINNER****  0.115  5.739 250.78
 Qualified:             #9  5.733 248.48                        #8  5.715 252.71

9:30 a.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 57 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 29.43 inches, adjusted altitude 810 feet, track temperature 70 degrees.

This was not a pretty race. Morris shook the tires hard as soon as he came out of the gate and had to click it off early. Harvanek had some shake, the rear end of his car got loose and swung back and forth and he made his way down the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                            36 Thomas Carter                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  5.517 261.22                     0.017  5.636 256.55
 Qualified:            #10  5.765 255.82                        #7  5.701 254.23

Manzo has 12 wins here, including every year since 2000. This was a close race and Carter gave Manzo all he could handle. Carter got out of the gate first and led the race to 330 feet. He had his career best ET and speed but Manzo got by him at mid track and went on to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  125 Eric Lourie                           111 Frank Schuster               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.096  5.824 250.09                     0.066  5.902 249.21
 Qualified:             #6  5.698 251.34                       #11  5.768 250.04

Lourie was the runner up here in 2008. Schuster got off the starting line first but shook the rear tires right away. Lourie had some shake too but not as much and that gave him the chance to get by Schuster for the win. Schuster car trailed smoke and popped the blower as he crossed the finish line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   57 Wayne Butler                          147 Fred Tigges                  
E1                   0.217 19.710  37.74     ****WINNER****  0.231  5.889 253.42
 Qualified:            #17  6.417 207.43                        #5  5.682 255.29

Butler was competing as an alternate for Dan Pomponio. He launched, shook the rear tires and clicked it off. Tigges drove through some shake to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   12 John Anderika                         303 Todd Veney                   
E1                   0.068  5.641 252.38     ****WINNER****  0.093  5.549 258.27
 Qualified:             #4  5.638 253.99                       #13  5.792 253.71

Anderika was first off the starting line and led to mid track, but then Veney got by him for the win. This run was veney's career best ET. He'll race Tigges in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   37 John Bojec                            331 Tony Bogolo                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.070  5.792 255.05                     0.021 19.192  52.23
 Qualified:             #3  5.626 255.97                       #14  5.793 243.06

Bogolo spun the rear tires coming out of the gate and clicked it off right away. Bojec had some tire shake but pedaled it and went on to take the win. He'll race Lourie in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  189 John Headley                           13 Paul Gill                    
E1                   0.197 11.367  71.97     ****WINNER****  0.191  5.874 243.46
 Qualified:            #15  6.102 212.16                        #2  5.618 250.09

Gill win here in 1999 and was the last driver to win this race who is not named Frank. Both drivers launched and both shook the rear tires at about 60 feet. Gill pedaled it and got back into the run. Headley clicked it off. Gill will race Manzo in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Steve Harker                          196 Bill Naves                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.539 259.51                     0.135  6.535 166.95
 Qualified:             #1  5.605 256.99                       #16  6.276 206.86

This was the ninth time Harker qualified in the number one spot. He had this one from start to finish. Nave was late getting out of the gate and clicked it off early.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink