Sat, 03 Nov 2012, 15:42 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Larry Sullivan

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, Short Line Express Gambler Shootout 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: Jay Payne Runs 5.619/258.52, Now #2; Best prior run: 11.934/108.59, Was #10
Right Lane: Jirka Kaplan Runs 12.993/90.09, Now #11; No Prior Run

12:21 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 22 percent, barometer 27.99 inches, adjusted altitude 3,590 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Kaplan was up in smoke immediately. Payne got his setup sorted out and made a full pass today, easily going into the top part of the field. That bumps Kris Hool, putting Keeter Ray on the bump spot at 5.739.

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Left Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 5.914/247.34, Now #10; Best prior run: 18.105/85.07, Was #12
Right Lane: Kris Hool Runs 5.670/257.28, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.758/256.16, Was #9

Two decent-looking runs and Hool bumped right back into the field. Rupert was not quick enough to make the field, will have one more chance later today.

Now Clint Thompson is on the bump spot at 5.726.

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Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 13.473/60.32, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.784/151.12, Was #11
Right Lane: Keeter Ray Runs 12.326/87.65, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.739/252.38, Was #9

Both cars were shaking and dancing, Ray up on the two left-side tires at one point, and both drivers lifted

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Left Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.672/254.18, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.723/252.66, Was #7
Right Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 5.683/254.76, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.726/253.52, Was #8

Two good runs, both improved, but both stayed where they were on the ladder. Westerfield tied John Lombardo Jr. on ET, but Lombardo has a better speed, so he's sixth, Westerfield seventh.

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Left Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 6.285/167.30, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.672/255.48, Was #6
Right Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 5.677/255.63, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.662/255.63, Was #4

Lombardo was quicker to half track, then there was a pop and some smoke from his car as he slowed. Whiteley made a nice run, but did not improve.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.550/262.49, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.591/259.96, Was #1
Right Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 12.487/86.49, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.637/257.53, Was #3

Gasparrelli got very sideways before he lifted. Bartone went right down the middle of the groove to improve his hold on the top spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink