Mon, 02 Sep 2013, 13:16 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 59th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Jay Payne                             331 Tony Bogolo                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.136  5.605 257.14                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Bohl      ) 0.064  5.674 253.09      (C Foster    ) -0.164  9.942  87.11
 Qualified:             #6  5.616 258.02                       #14  5.801 250.51

1:00 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 70 percent, barometer 28.99 inches, adjusted altitude 3,003 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

This is the first time Payne and Bogolo have faced each other in eliminations.

Well, it would have been, but Bogolo had mechanical problems last night and was unable to answer the staging call today. On a solo pass, Payne made his quickest run of the event.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  301 Fred Hagen                              5 John Lombardo Jr.            
E2                   0.080  5.681 255.19     ****WINNER****  0.135  5.621 258.37
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Allison   ) 0.098  5.600 257.14      (T Veney     ) 0.185  5.700 256.06
 Qualified:             #4  5.588 259.66                        #5  5.606 259.36

This is the first time Hagen and Lombardo Jr. have faced each other in eliminations.

Lombardo was late and it almost cost him the race. Hagen led past 1,000 feet, but Lmbardo passed him in the lights.

John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.075), 330 ft(-0.056), 660ft(-0.033), 1,000ft(-0.009). MOV: 0.0053 seconds (approximately 24 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Annie Whiteley                          2 Tony Bartone                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.096  5.579 256.80                     0.045  5.678 256.16
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Pomponio  ) 0.081  5.612 256.65      (C Simonton  ) 0.079  5.646 256.41
 Qualified:             #2  5.558 260.06                        #7  5.648 257.19

Whiteley and Bartone have each won 1 time against the other in prior events.

Bartone had a big advantage at the green, but Whiteley was a tenth quicker and led most of the way.

Annie Whiteley's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.025), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.044), 1,000ft(0.050). MOV: 0.0486 seconds (approximately 18 feet).

She will have lane choice against Payne in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                           319 Todd Robertson               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.170  5.529 262.95                     0.038  9.561  91.74
 Prior rounds:
E1    (W Butler    ) 0.052  5.554 261.83      (F Tigges    ) 0.019  5.672 254.86
 Qualified:             #1  5.532 263.67                        #8  5.649 255.24

This is the first time Manzo and Robertson have faced each other in eliminations.

Manzo was sleeping at the green, but Robertson shook and slowed at about 330 feet, giving Manzo a free pass to the finish line. He ran low ET of the event and will have lane choice against Lombardo in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink