Sun, 5 Jun 2011, 12:40 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 42nd annual NHRA SuperNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  147 Frederick Tigges                        7 Todd Veney                   
E2                  -0.139 11.129  98.38     ****WINNER****  0.069  5.606 258.37
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Gill      ) 0.021  5.717 254.23      (M Green-king) 0.085  5.579 259.71
 Qualified:            #15  5.738 231.00                        #7  5.609 256.55

12:32 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.99 inches, adjusted altitude 1,631 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Tigges lit the red light, then smoked the tires. Veney had a clean run for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 710D Alexis De Joria                         2 Mickey Ferro                 
E2                   0.082  5.601 262.85     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.560 259.86
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Pomponio  ) 0.064  5.548 265.43      (P Noakes    ) 0.071  5.689 258.71
 Qualified:             #6  5.605 262.44                        #3  5.530 259.61

De Joria's 265.43 MPH speed in the first round was a track record and the seventh fastest run in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Ferro beat her out of the gate and stayed out front for the win. Ferro will have lane choice over Veney in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                          1617 Lou Sgro                     
E2   ****WINNER****  0.075  5.587 262.18                     0.038  5.626 258.17
 Prior rounds:
E1    (W Morris    ) 0.119  5.566 222.14      (C Simonton  ) 0.041  5.623 257.14
 Qualified:             #1  5.476 264.60                        #8  5.629 258.57

This was almost an upset. Sgro got off the starting line first and led the race at 1,000 feet. Manzo managed to catch Sgro and get by him for the win. Frank Manzo's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.002), 330 ft(-0.027), 660ft(-0.025), 1,000ft(-0.012). MOV: 0.0027 seconds (approximately 12 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1383 Dan Roman                             118 DJ Cox Jr.                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.097  5.646 256.21                     0.092 12.676  88.36
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Anderika  ) 0.053  5.601 257.43      (E Lourie    ) 0.121 13.359  50.52
 Qualified:            #13  5.680 251.95                        #5  5.603 256.94

Cox smoked the tires coming out of the gate. Roman drifted out of the groove and was close to the center line, but kept from crossing over. Roman will race Manzo next time out and Manzo will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink