Sat, 15 Jun 2013, 17:42 PM Pro Modified Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 13th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Mike Castellana                      2890 Eric Dillard                 
E1                   0.063  7.719 127.73     ****WINNER****  0.079  6.103 246.26
 Qualified:             #9  6.085 223.21                        #8  6.070 243.02

5:15 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 28.51 inches, adjusted altitude 3,763 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Dillard is 1 - 0 against Castellana in prior events.

Both shook. Castellana was unable to get hooked back up, but Dillard recovered quickly and was essentially unopposed after that.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Steve Matusek                         262 Robert Patrick Jr.           
E1                   0.062 12.311  68.88     ****WINNER****  0.058  6.030 235.35
 Qualified:            #10  6.090 245.58                        #7  6.064 234.53

Matusek's car made a hard move toward the wall and he had to lift. Meanwhile, Patrick, who struggled through two rounds of qualifying, went right down the groove with his bext numbers of the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5011 Mike Knowles                            1 Troy Coughlin                
E1                   0.072  6.118 239.53     ****WINNER****  0.079  6.020 246.08
 Qualified:            #13  6.151 237.71                        #4  6.023 246.30

These two both struggled through both rounds of qualifying Friday before finding the handle today. Coughlin is 2 - 1 against Knowles in prior events.

They left together and were side-by-side almost to half track. Then the top-end power of the turbo took over and Coughlin pulled away to win by over a car length.

Troy Coughlin's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.008), 330 ft(-0.032), 660ft(0.024), 1,000ft(0.065). MOV: 0.0918 seconds (approximately 32 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2377 Von Smith                               8 Pete Farber                  
E1                   0.078  6.670 155.08     ****WINNER****  0.054  6.017 241.41
 Qualified:            #11  6.104 235.06                        #6  6.060 241.63

Farber was first off the starting line and stayed in front to half track. Then Smith slowed and the race was over, Farber making his best run of the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  701 Clint Satterfield                       5 Danny Rowe                   
E1                   8.332  7.852 183.67     ****WINNER****  0.100  6.004 243.59
 Qualified:            #16  6.928 158.95                        #1  5.958 242.76

This is the first time Satterfield and Rowe have faced each other in eliminations.

Both cars staged, but Satterfield's car just sat there at the green and he didn't launch until after Rowe cleared the finish line. Rowe made a good run, best of the round so far. He will have lane choice against Dillard in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  567 Chris Juliano                          43 Rickie Smith                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  6.177 227.88                     0.076  6.230 239.10
 Qualified:            #14  6.227 227.15                        #3  6.007 241.45

Smith is 1 - 0 against Juliano in prior events.

This was exciting for Juliano and for the spectators. Smith had a small advantage at the green, but his car made a couple hard moves toward the centerline, so he backpedaled to tame it down. Meanwhile, Juliano had a big lead, then there was a flash of flame from just in front of the firewall and the back part of the hood shattered, pieces flying in all directions.

Juliano won and will have all night to work on the car, but may not have enough spare parts and fiberglass to repair the damage.

Chris Juliano's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.000), 330 ft(0.105), 660ft(0.126), 1,000ft(0.090). MOV: 0.0468 seconds (approximately 16 feet). If he can return, he will face Farber and Farber has lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  213 Chip King                            1456 Mike Janis                   
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.792 14.643  68.29
 Qualified:            #12  6.136 231.52                        #5  6.036 238.85

King broke on the burnout. Janis lost traction almost immediately and coasted through, the win light gleaming. He will not have lane choice when he faces Coughlin in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2105 Doug Winters                           10 Kenny Lang                   
E1                   0.099  7.270 208.52     ****WINNER****  0.177  7.102 220.94
 Qualified:            #15  6.297 215.48                        #2  5.958 242.63

Last pair. Lang is 1 - 0 against Winters in prior events.

This turned into a close, side-by-side pedaling contest. Winters had a big holeshot, but both cars shook almost immediately and both drivers pedaled several times to get to the other end. Lang got the win by a little over a car length and he won't have lane choice when he races Patrick in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink