Sat, 25 Feb 2012, 20:10 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at Firebird International Raceway listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Charles McLaws Runs 6.055/243.46, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.173/241.80, Was #10

5:26 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 12 percent, barometer 28.19 inches, adjusted altitude 3,282 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Steve Griboski is on the bump spot at 5.868.

McLaws Firebird is a little lazy off the line and then drives steadily towards the center line down track. He picks up a little ET and speed, but can't bump into the show.

Charles McLaws' incremental times: 60ft-1.043 sec., 330ft-2.683, 660ft-3.999/187.39 mph, 1,000ft-5.121.

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Left Lane: Brian Smith Runs 6.036/248.16, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.933/247.61, Was #9
Right Lane: Ross Stickler Runs 6.018/240.08, Now #10; Best prior run: 7.413/117.01, Was #11

No joy as both cars struggle. They stay in their current positions for tomorrow.

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Left Lane: Mark Woznichak Runs 5.721/252.33, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.759/248.16, Was #7
Right Lane: Steve Griboski Runs 6.620/182.01, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.868/239.44, Was #8

Griboski gets off the line first and then has to pump the throttle and slows.

Woznichak was on a good pass, but has a bunch of smoke out from underneath the car near the lights. He improves a little, but stays number seven.

Mark Woznichak's incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.534, 660ft-3.772/199.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.827.
Steve Griboski's incremental times: 60ft-1.060 sec., 330ft-2.861, 660ft-4.268/177.30 mph, 1,000ft-5.459.

5:34 p.m. Just a little something, way down track, so we will have a brief delay.

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Left Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 6.568/158.09, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.698/254.66, Was #6
Right Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 8.699/101.23, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.688/255.10, Was #5

5:36 p.m. That was quick! The call goes out to start the engines.

Both cars are looking to move up into the top half of the field.

Both cars leave hard and go into shake. Westerfield first and then Gordon. After some dual pumping, Gordon gives it up first, quickly followed by Westerfield.

They will stay #5 and #6 for now.

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Left Lane: Brian Hough Runs 5.670/254.76, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.622/255.97, Was #3
Right Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 8.940/98.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.659/254.28, Was #4

A good strong pass for Hough, but he doesn't improve.

Whiteley's Mustang starts to wag it's tail and she has to shut off early. She will stay #4.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.515, 660ft-3.741/202.21 mph, 1,000ft-4.784.
Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.649, 660ft-4.611/111.73 mph, 1,000ft-6.766.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.630/258.57, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.615/260.11, Was #1
Right Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 5.879/196.70, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.615/250.09, Was #2

Last pair to try to improve. Both cars do long burnouts, stopping just short of mid-track and back up together.

Another great side by side pass until Lombardo's engine gets real unhappy and smoke pours out from underneath the body, right around the 1000 foot lights.

Payne runs close to his first pass and Lombardo slows in the lights.

Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.975 sec., 330ft-2.520, 660ft-3.729/205.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.758.
John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.493, 660ft-3.702/204.79 mph, 1,000ft-4.790.

5:47 p.m. Steve Griboski is on the bump spot at 5.868.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink