Sat, 20 Jul 2013, 17:18 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

EPPING, N.H. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Northeast Division, event at New England Dragway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   19 John Headley                           11 Todd Veney                   
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.321  5.734 253.71
 Qualified:             #9  6.048 235.97                        #4  5.732 254.09

4:59 p.m. -- Headley is competing as an alternate for Fred Tigges, who hurt his car in the final round of qualifying last night. Both drivers pre-staged, then Headley staged. While he waited for Veney to stage, Headley's car slipped forward before the tree was activated and he lit the red light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 Eric Lourie                            16 Dan Pomponio                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.879 246.75                     0.040  6.068 186.67
 Qualified:             #6  5.820 247.07                        #3  5.726 255.77

Lourie was first out of the gate and trailed at 660 feet. AFter that, Lourie's car pulled ahead while Pomponio slowed. Eric Lourie's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.040), 330 ft(-0.041), 660ft(-0.038), 1,000ft(0.010). MOV: 0.1968 seconds (approximately 54 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   12 John Anderika                          15 DJ Cox Jr.                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.110  5.690 252.28                     0.050  6.706 137.81
 Qualified:             #2  5.719 251.81                        #7  5.826 249.86

Cox was first off the starting line and was ahead at 60 feet. At about 330 feet, metallic objects were falling from his car and he let out the chutes at about 1,000 feet. In the other lane, Anderika pulled ahead for the win. He'll have lane choice over Lourie in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                            14 Paul Gill                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.051  5.643 258.62                     0.043  5.956 251.91
 Qualified:             #1  5.678 257.58                        #8  5.910 250.74

Gill was quicker off the starting line but chattered the tires at 330 feet and got loose. He pedaled the throttle and got the rear tires hooked up again. By then it was too late because Manzo was out in front at 60 feet and stayed ahead the whole way down the track. Manzo will have lane choice over Veney in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink