Fri, 23 Mar 2012, 22:31 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Time Trial Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 2 time trials in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 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: Shane Westerfield Runs 6.336/166.48, Now #5; Best prior run: 8.807/102.19, Was #9
Right Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.755/252.24, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.719/254.71, Was #1

6:28 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 12 percent, barometer 27.35 inches, adjusted altitude 4,608 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Westerfield has a big advantage early in the run, but then has the a significant explosion from the engine with some fire from underneath the Monte Carlo body. The NHRA Safety Team is right there at the turnout and makes sure everything is OK.

Gordon slows just a little from earlier on a clean pass.

Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.567, 660ft-3.809/200.35 mph, 1,000ft-4.863.

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Left Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 5.712/250.78, Now #1; Best prior run: 8.348/110.24, Was #8
Right Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 6.096/184.70, Now #5; No Prior Run

6:57 p.m. Lots of oil from after the finish line until the turnout, so this took a while.

First pass for Bellemeur and the Camaro is a little lazy off the line and doesn't pick up going down the track.

Nice full pass for Whiteley this time, as her Mustang gets to the finish line under power and she takes over the top spot for now.

Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.959 sec., 330ft-2.519, 660ft-3.754/199.70 mph, 1,000ft-4.815.
Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-1.001 sec., 330ft-2.606, 660ft-3.854/198.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.969.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.593/259.96, Now #1; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 7.363/132.93, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.994/249.49, Was #4

First run for Bartone too. Good strong pass from start to finish on the Mustang to move to the new top spot.

Rupert's Monte Carlo got out of the groove after the 330 lights and started to move around a lot on the track until he lifted.

Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.505, 660ft-3.704/207.08 mph, 1,000ft-4.727.

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Left Lane: Nick Bastiao Runs 5.808/248.11, Now #5; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.710/254.86, Now #2; Best prior run: 8.149/112.71, Was #10

This the first pass of the year for Bastiao.

Two good clean pass for the pair, with Gasparrelli driving by by mid track. Bastiao had a better 60 and 330 foot time, but couldn't match the pace down track.

Nick Bastiao's incremental times: 60ft-0.973 sec., 330ft-2.592, 660ft-3.857/198.17 mph, 1,000ft-4.916.
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.978 sec., 330ft-2.552, 660ft-3.781/201.58 mph, 1,000ft-4.826.

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Left Lane: Keeter Ray Runs 9.627/90.54, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Brian Hough Runs 8.787/106.59, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.207/131.95, Was #11

Ray had equipment issues at Phoenix and wasn't able to compete, but is ready for this weekend.

Both cars made a move towards their respective wall and clicked of at almost the same time to coast on down the track.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.656/255.68, Now #2; Best prior run: 13.975/79.79, Was #15
Right Lane: John Lombardo Jr. No Time, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.827/207.78, Was #6

Lombardo makes his burnout and is backing up before Payne's Mustang body is lowered. He makes a quick burnout and they pul up to the starting line together.

Payne is a little slow in lighting the last bulb and Lombardo flinches. He leaves before the tree is activated. It looked and sounded strong, but who knows?

Payne makes a straight and clean pass to move up to the number two best testing ET.

Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.972 sec., 330ft-2.525, 660ft-3.739/203.95 mph, 1,000ft-4.777.

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Right Lane: Ross Stickler No Time, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.263/183.94, Was #10

If this was qualifying, the bump would be 5.994.

The tune up is too agressive and the tires are up in smoke at the green. He clicks it right off and stops on the track before the 660 lights.

7:16 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink