Sat, 27 Oct 2012, 23:07 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 12th annual Big O Tires NHRA Nationals 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:

---

Left Lane: Russ Parker Runs 6.573/149.02, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.390/176.97, Was #19
Right Lane: Mike Drake Runs 6.032/235.68, Now #17; Best prior run: 9.320/96.35, Was #20

Parker with a bang and pop around 800 feet. Drake with his quickest pass of the weekend, but will not get in the show. Mike Drake's incremental times: 60ft-1.020 sec., 330ft-2.656, 660ft-3.961/189.92 mph, 1,000ft-5.080.

---

Right Lane: Ross Stickler Runs 6.001/238.22, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.276/166.03, Was #19

Strickler with his quickest pass of the weekend, but he will not get in the show. Ross Stickler's incremental times: 60ft-0.986 sec., 330ft-2.618, 660ft-3.932/187.68 mph, 1,000ft-5.056.

---

Left Lane: Kris Hool Runs 5.752/255.53, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.755/257.53, Was #14
Right Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 5.723/253.33, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.788/251.34, Was #16

Rupert with his quickest pass of the weekend to move up to the number 12 spot. Jason Rupert's incremental times: 60ft-0.972 sec., 330ft-2.548, 660ft-3.782/200.68 mph, 1,000ft-4.835. hool with his quickest pass of the weekend, but got bumped back one spot. Kris Hool's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.582, 660ft-3.819/201.13 mph, 1,000ft-4.869.

---

Left Lane: Charles McLaws Runs 6.020/231.68, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.749/254.14, Was #14
Right Lane: John Evanchuk Runs 5.693/254.14, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.780/250.32, Was #16

Evanchuk with his quickest pass of the weekend to get off the bubble and up to the number 10 spot. John Evanchuk's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.529, 660ft-3.758/201.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.805. McLaws slowed from his career best run earlier today.

---

Left Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 5.763/253.42, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.726/252.47, Was #14
Right Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.590/259.06, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.723/255.43, Was #12

Payne launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number three spot. Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.485, 660ft-3.692/205.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.720. No help here for Bellemeur and he stays in the number 14 spot.

---

Left Lane: Mickey Ferro Runs 5.671/251.86, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.694/251.53, Was #12
Right Lane: Keeter Ray Runs 5.761/252.05, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.690/252.80, Was #10

Ferro with his quickest pass of the weekend to move up the ladder a couple spots. Mickey Ferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.501, 660ft-3.726/202.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.778. No help here for Ray and he gets bumped back one spot.

---

Left Lane: Mark Woznichak Runs 5.666/254.95, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.658/255.43, Was #9
Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.627/258.32, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.626/258.62, Was #5

Gasparrelli just a tick off his qualifying time and he will stay in the number five spot. Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.968 sec., 330ft-2.513, 660ft-3.725/204.23 mph, 1,000ft-4.756. Woznichak with another good pass. Mark Woznichak's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.516, 660ft-3.740/202.21 mph, 1,000ft-4.783.

---

Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 5.663/254.38, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.640/257.28, Was #8
Right Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 8.235/110.36, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.590/259.01, Was #4

Thompson shook hard and clicked it off. Gordon with another good pass. Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.509, 660ft-3.733/202.24 mph, 1,000ft-4.778.

---

Left Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.625/256.06, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.631/255.19, Was #7
Right Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 5.635/255.19, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.571/259.36, Was #2

Westerfield with his quickest pass of the weekend and the second quickest pass of the round to move up to the number five spot. Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.500, 660ft-3.713/204.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.746. Whiteley with another good pass, but will not improve...Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.952 sec., 330ft-2.495, 660ft-3.711/203.98 mph, 1,000ft-4.753.

---

Left Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 5.748/220.94, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.630/257.19, Was #7
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 6.948/138.71, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.570/262.39, Was #1

Bartone's engine went silent just past half track and he coast across the finish line. Lombardo Jr. slowed on the top end and he will not improve.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink