Sat, 3 May 2003, 02:03 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Bob Orme

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac 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: Jeff Craig Runs 5.745/252.28, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.741/251.86, Was #4
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 11.383/71.72, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.856/247.79, Was #6

1:48 PM Lee lost traction on the hit, the rear end of the car moving back and forth for 100 feet before he shut it off.

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Left Lane: Frank Manzo Runs 5.603/259.06, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.695/256.94, Was #3
Right Lane: Chuck Cheeseman Runs 5.717/248.89, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.845/217.70, Was #5

Cheeseman was all over his lane and had the chutes out before the finish. Manzo sets both ends of track record with this pass.

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Left Lane: Bob Newberry Runs 5.638/254.42, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.662/253.56, Was #2
Right Lane: Jim Sickles Runs 5.724/250.46, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.857/248.61, Was #7

No real problems for either driver here, Sickles moving up a couple steps on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.752/223.62, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.686/254.28, Was #3

Payne was fishtailing at 300 feet, then again at 900 feet.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink