Sun, 31 Oct 2010, 12:48 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 10th annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 710D Alexis De Joria                      7238 Bret Williamson              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.037  5.578 257.58                     0.100  5.968 212.23
 Qualified:             #8  5.658 256.84                        #9  5.695 249.95

DeJoria with the big starting line advantage and then runs low E.T. of the weekend for the win. Alexis De Joria's incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.678/205.41 mph, 1,000ft-4.706. Williamson had a little wiggle in the middle of the track and then clicked it off early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  572 Brent Henry                          5757 Terry Ruckman                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.070  6.035 247.34                     0.072  6.443 248.29
 Qualified:            #10  5.709 255.19                        #7  5.656 256.60

This is the first time Henry and Ruckman have faced each other in eliminations. they leave together and then Ruckman had tire shake right off the starting line and pedaled it. Henry shook the tires around 150 feet and pedaled it and got it to hook up and takes the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Mark Woznichak                         73 Doug Gordon                  
E1                   0.074  5.729 253.33     ****WINNER****  0.058  5.643 255.10
 Qualified:            #11  5.715 255.24                        #6  5.640 255.97

Gordon is 1 - 0 against Woznichak in prior events. Gordon is out of the gate first and runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Woznichak with a good pass, but slowed a little from his qualifying time.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Sean O'Bannon                           9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.106  5.573 256.80                     0.039  5.641 256.31
 Qualified:             #5  5.632 256.60                       #12  5.718 250.09

This has been an All-Star field with six out of the top ten players here this weekend. O'Bannon is currently seventh in the points and Gasparrelli is ninth. O'Bannon and Gasparrelli have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Gasparrelli with the starting line advantage and runs his quickest pass of the weekend, but O'Bannon is able to chase him down right in the lights. O'Bannon with the quickest pass of the event to get the win light by 0.0015 seconds (approximately 7 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 John Lombardo Jr.                       4 Tony Bartone                 
E1                   0.140  5.642 256.41     ****WINNER****  0.071  5.646 258.37
 Qualified:             #4  5.620 258.47                       #13  5.727 258.17

Lombardo Jr. is 1 - 0 against Bartone in prior events. Bartone is currently fifth in the points. Bartone is out of the gate first and has the power to hold on for the hole shot win. That is 12th career hole shot win. Bartone with his quickest pass of the weekend and he will have lane choice over O'Bannon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   63 Clint Thompson                         64 John Evanchuk                
E1                   0.065  5.808 247.34     ****WINNER****  0.049  5.658 251.39
 Qualified:             #3  5.606 258.07                       #14  5.729 248.57

Thompson is 1 - 0 against Evanchuk in prior events. Thompson is currently tenth in the points. Evanchuk with the starting line advantage and then runs his career quickest pass to take the win light. Thompson made a move toward the centerline around 200 feet and he reeled it in, but couldn't chase Evanchuk down. Evanchuk will give up lane choice over Gordon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Jay Payne                              37 John Bojec                   
E1                   0.051  5.605 256.50     ****WINNER****  0.066  5.584 255.77
 Qualified:             #2  5.602 257.14                       #15  5.737 253.80

This is the first time Payne and Bojec have faced each other in eliminations. Payne with the starting line advantage and Bojec has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Bojec runs his quickest pass of the weekend to take the win by 0.0065 seconds (approximately 2 feet). Bojec will have lane choice over Henry in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   79 Keeter Ray                              6 Mickey Ferro                 
E1                   0.059  5.662 253.18     ****WINNER****  0.061  5.559 257.68
 Qualified:            #16  5.746 249.76                        #1  5.596 257.48

Ferro is 1 - 0 against Ray in prior events. Ferro is currently number two in the points. They leave together and then it is all Ferro with the quickest pass of the event for the win. Mickey Ferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.461, 660ft-3.660/205.76 mph, 1,000ft-4.686. Ray with his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort. Ferro will have lane choice over DeJoria in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink