Sat, 24 May 2003, 09:37 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations |
By Rick Green |
TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 15th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 505 Dale Brand 470 Ben Harper E1 0.079 6.534 162.63 ****WINNER**** 0.063 6.011 241.89 Qualified: #6 5.718 237.96 #11 5.922 240.42Current weather conditions: 61 degrees, 100 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.94 inches.
Brand made a quick move toward the wall and then reeled it and headed back toward the
centerline. He was able to keep it off the centerline, but then was back over close to the wall.
He did a great job keeping it off the wall. Harper was out the gate first and never looked back
for the win.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6 Tate Branch 509 Steve Griboski
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.097 5.714 252.14 0.111 6.141 232.55
Qualified: #5 5.701 251.25 #12 6.055 233.96
Branch was out of the gate first and skated around a little around 330 feet, but still a nice
pass to move on.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
3 Jay Payne 42 Jackie Stidham
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.055 5.619 257.83 0.040 5.796 246.48
Qualified: #1 5.635 256.26 #16 7.368 127.81
Stidham with a starting line advantage, but Payne had the difference made up by 100 feet and
never looked back with a great pass. Quickest pass of the weekend. Stidham with a nice
pass.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
7 Marc White 555 Kevin Richardson
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.091 5.630 254.14 0.168 7.069 148.49
Qualified: #2 5.663 252.28 #15 6.285 240.21
White with big starting line advantage and just stretched it out from there. White just
missed his career best pass here.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
2 Steve Gasparrelli 518 Bruce Carlson
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.046 6.218 228.73 0.220 15.002 53.38
Qualified: #3 5.683 254.38 #14 6.181 227.08
Gasparrelli out of the gate first and into to tire shake and he pedaled it and then got out
of the groove. He got real close to the wall on the top end, but keep in his lane for the win.
Carlson had a big wheel stand as soon as he launched and when the front end banged down to earth
he clicked it off. Gasparrelli will give up lane choice to Harper in the next round.Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 52 Cy Chesterman 441 Ron Morrison E1 ****WINNER**** 0.056 5.639 255.15 0.261 6.109 230.88 Qualified: #4 5.689 253.66 #13 6.111 234.90Chesterman with a big starting line advantage and the big win, he will have lane choice over Branch tomorrow.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 62 Jason Rupert 545 Thomas Frickenschmidt E1 0.054 11.073 76.12 ****WINNER**** 0.096 5.868 245.54 Qualified: #7 5.757 244.03 #10 5.862 246.48Rupert running the Chet Herbert engine and he was out of the gate first, but then had tire shake and finally lifted. Frickenschmidt with the win and he will give up lane choice to White.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 53 Vern Moats 51 Kirk Williams E1 ****WINNER**** 0.121 5.611 253.66 0.042 5.790 249.63 Qualified: #8 5.779 248.07 #9 5.822 248.84Williams with the starting line advantage, but Moats had the difference made up by 330 feet and blast on through with a career best E.T. here to take the win. He will have lane choice over Payne in round two.
Out of the eight remaining drivers we have five drivers that were in the
Top Ten last year.
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