Sun, 26 Feb 2012, 15:02 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at Firebird International Raceway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  744 Shane Westerfield                    6515 Brian Hough                  
E1                   0.067  6.037 235.47     ****WINNER****  0.091  5.941 252.00
 Qualified:             #6  5.698 254.66                        #3  5.622 255.97

12:47 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 28.23 inches, adjusted altitude 3,086 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Westerfield gets off the line first and then both cars get loose and move around in their lanes. Hough towards the wall and Westerfield towards the centerline.

Hough gets back straight first and pulls ahead for the win.

Brian Hough's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.026), 330 ft(-0.101), 660ft(-0.003), 1,000ft(0.041). MOV: 0.0724 seconds (approximately 25 feet).

Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.599, 660ft-3.996/184.55 mph, 1,000ft-5.107.
Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.964 sec., 330ft-2.676, 660ft-3.975/194.41 mph, 1,000ft-5.042.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  584 Annie Whiteley                         73 Doug Gordon                  
E1                   0.058  5.963 244.56     ****WINNER****  0.017  5.699 253.61
 Qualified:             #4  5.659 254.28                        #5  5.688 255.10

Big advantage off the line for Gordon and he runs right on down the track, close to his qualifying times for the easy win.

Whiteley's Mustang uses a bunch of race track before the 660 light and she gets it straight, but can't catch Gordon.

Doug Gordon's incremental margins: 60ft(0.048), 330 ft(0.091), 660ft(0.204), 1,000ft(0.269). MOV: 0.3057 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.970 sec., 330ft-2.580, 660ft-3.924/187.13 mph, 1,000ft-5.036.
Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.530, 660ft-3.761/202.15 mph, 1,000ft-4.808.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  703 Mark Woznichak                          6 John Lombardo Jr.            
E1                   0.107  5.687 254.42     ****WINNER****  0.082  5.645 255.15
 Qualified:             #7  5.721 252.33                        #2  5.615 250.09

Lombardo and Payne had identical ET's in qualifying and Payne got the #1 slot on MPH.

Great side by side passes and Lombardo makes use of his RT to ensure a close finish. Woz makes his best run of the weekend to no avail.

Mark Woznichak's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.525, 660ft-3.752/201.61 mph, 1,000ft-4.801.
John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.521, 660ft-3.734/204.45 mph, 1,000ft-4.766.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  509 Steve Griboski                          3 Jay Payne                    
E1                  -0.023  5.883 241.32     ****WINNER****  0.110  5.612 258.96
 Qualified:             #8  5.868 239.44                        #1  5.615 260.11

Griboski is too eager and goes red by -0.023.

Payne thunders on down the track for his best pass of the weekend and a hale choice match up with Gordon.

In the other pair, Lombardo will have lane choice over Hough.

Steve Griboski's incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.566, 660ft-3.852/192.22 mph, 1,000ft-4.950.
Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.502, 660ft-3.711/205.54 mph, 1,000ft-4.740.

12:59 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink