Sun, 09 Jun 2013, 12:31 PM Pro Nitrous Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

PETERSBURG, Va. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Nitrous at the 2013 ADRL Tour presented by Speedtech, Simply Phones U.S. Drags VI:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  117 Tommy Franklin                       1903 Randy Weatherford            
E1                   0.060  4.065 184.55     ****WINNER****  0.046  4.024 188.62
 Qualified:             #9  3.964 182.87                        #8  3.925 190.46

12:08 p.m. Weatherford left first, but was slowed a bit with tire shake and Franklin led after 60 feet. Weatherford was back in fron at 330 feet, then Franklin appeared to hurt a couple pistons on the top end and Weatherford pulled away for the win.

Randy Weatherford's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.028), 330 ft(0.013). MOV: 0.0555 seconds (approximately 15 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  369 John Decerbo                           42 Robert Mathis                
E1                   0.072  5.453  92.14     ****WINNER****  0.065  3.887 193.93
 Qualified:            #10  3.997 180.24                        #7  3.914 192.52

Mathis rolled in and lit both pre-stage bulbs, then thought better of it and backed out. Then both staged normally. Mathis had a slight edge at the green, then Decerbo's car started fishtailing, forcing him to lift. Mathis made a nice run, better than his qualifying pace.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 John Camp                            1969 Danny Perry                  
E1                   0.256  3.962 188.12     ****WINNER****  0.047  3.905 195.85
 Qualified:            #12  4.024 184.95                        #5  3.872 196.56

Camp took his time pre-staging and staging, then was nailed to the tree at the green.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4069 John Hall                              88 Matt Suite                   
E1                   0.102  4.355 173.78     ****WINNER****  0.042  4.005 182.65
 Qualified:             #3  3.850 195.65                       #14  4.065 176.60

Suite had some problems during qualifying, but he was right on time here and made his quaickest run of the weekend. Meanwhile, Hall was a bit tardy, then his car laid down, never coming up to full steam, giving Suite an easy upset win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1994 Ed Burnley                            933 Jason Harris                 
E1                   0.062  4.087 177.00     ****WINNER****  0.068  3.954 188.96
 Qualified:            #11  4.003 186.67                        #6  3.872 191.62

This was a good drag race to half track, Burnley with a small edge at the green and Harris with enough to run him down and then pull away for the win.

Jason Harris' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.014), 330 ft(0.052). MOV: 0.1272 seconds (approximately 33 feet).

Harris will have lane choice against Suite in round 2.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1250 Kenny Rucker                          949 Steve Jackson                
E1                   0.069  6.294  74.12     ****WINNER****  0.042  4.240 180.91
 Qualified:            #13  4.062 179.40                        #4  3.870 193.71

Both cars shook early in the run, Rucker with the wheels in the air. He landed hard and did not get back in the throttle, while Jackson was able to backpedal and recover for the win.

Jackson will not have lane choice against Perry in round 2.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 Mike Castellana                        21 Pat Stoken                   
E1                   0.044  4.106 191.59     ****WINNER****  0.116  3.853 195.85
 Qualified:            #15  5.045  98.48                        #2  3.806 196.85

Castellana struggled on both runs yesterday after posting stunning numbers during a Thursday test session.

Castellana was on time, Stoken was late, but Castellana's car made a hard move to the right and by the time he recovered, Stoken was in the lead to stay.

Stoken will have lane choice against Mathis in round 2.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  262 Robert Patrick Jr                    1087 Jim Laurita                  
E1                   0.109  7.301  92.46     ****WINNER****  0.084  3.861 196.82
 Qualified:            #16  6.967 103.59                        #1  3.771 198.90

Patrick, in his first ADRL race of the year, did not find the combination in two tries yesterday and ended up facing the #1 qualifier today.

Oncew again, Patrick was unable to get a clean launch and Laurita was unopposed the rest of the way. He will have lane choice against Weatherford in round 2.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink