Sun, 2 Oct 2011, 01:50 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 27th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                          1617 Lou Sgro                     
E2   ****WINNER****  0.049  5.537 262.33                    -0.206 25.699  57.40
 Prior rounds:
E1    (W Morris    ) 0.060  5.750 239.40                     -0.242 16.111  88.20
 Qualified:             #1  5.491 263.46                        #9  5.623 256.11

1:08 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 54 degrees, relative humidity 65 percent, barometer 29.21 inches, adjusted altitude 979 feet, track temperature 66 degrees.

Sgro had trouble holding his car at the starting line and left way too early. Manzo's run wasn't among his best but he got the win and will move on to the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Tony Bartone                           14 John Anderika                
E2                   0.112  9.338  86.69     ****WINNER****  0.096  6.084 251.63
 Prior rounds:
E1    (W Butler    ) 0.084  5.622 263.20      (M Ferro     ) 0.114  6.038 227.88
 Qualified:             #2  5.540 258.62                       #10  5.666 254.09

Anderika got out of the gate a little bit quicker but shook the tires hard. He pedaled the car, while Bartone pulled ahead. Bartone led the race at 330 feet but then started pouring smoke out of the headers. Anderika got his car hooked up again and passed Bartone to take the win. Bartone's car left oil on the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   32 Andy Bohl                             118 DJ Cox Jr.                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.065  5.603 257.33                     0.032  5.819 248.80
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Roman     ) 0.108  5.567 256.89      (P Gill      ) 0.060 18.356  23.41
 Qualified:             #6  5.573 259.51                       #19  5.877 253.80

Cox got out of the gate first but had a bit of tire shake and drifted out of the groove. Bohl took his car straight down the groove for the win. He'll have lane choice over Anderika in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 Dan Pomponio                            7 Todd Veney                   
E2                   0.050  6.109 190.67     ****WINNER****  0.112  5.562 258.76
 Prior rounds:
E1    (F Tigges    ) 0.056  5.736 253.71      (E Lourie    ) 0.078  5.548 258.62
 Qualified:            #13  5.732 255.24                        #5  5.560 260.51

Pomponio was quicker at the starting line and led to 60 feet. After that, his car drifted out of the groove, giving Veney the opportunity to take the lead. Veney got the win but gave up lane choice to Manzo in round three.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink