Sat, 21 Sep 2013, 12:51 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 28th annual AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Right Lane: Ro Yale Runs 6.095/202.76, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.39 inches, adjusted altitude 2,192 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

Yale started to drift out of the groove around half track, but stayed with it. This is a career best E.T. pass for him. Ro Yale's incremental times: 60ft-1.012 sec., 330ft-2.628, 660ft-3.934/187.23 mph, 1,000ft-5.053.

---

Left Lane: Billy Davis Runs 5.847/215.41, Now #2
Right Lane: Mark Woznichak Runs 5.689/257.87, Now #1

Davis made a quick move toward the centerline, but reeled it in before he lifted early. Woznichak with a good clean pass to start the weekend. Mark Woznichak's incremental times: 60ft-0.999 sec., 330ft-2.568, 660ft-3.779/204.42 mph, 1,000ft-4.815.

---

Left Lane: Steve Burck Runs 5.770/249.12, Now #3
Right Lane: Bryan Brown Runs 5.658/252.05, Now #1

Burck with a good clean pass to start the weekend. Brown with a real nice pass until right in the lights when there was a little engine smoke. He still runs his quickest pass of the season. Bryan Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.505, 660ft-3.724/202.70 mph, 1,000ft-4.769.

---

Left Lane: Mark Billington Runs 7.417/208.07, Now #7
Right Lane: Lance Van Hauen Runs 6.812/136.80, Now #6

Billington was real loose right at the hit and pedaled it one time. Van Hauen clicked it off early.

---

Left Lane: Brian Hough Runs 10.723/107.84, Now #9
Right Lane: Ray Drew Runs 5.720/253.66, Now #3

Hough was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Drew was straight down the groove to the number three spot. Ray Drew's incremental times: 60ft-1.017 sec., 330ft-2.570, 660ft-3.787/203.19 mph, 1,000ft-4.833.

---

Left Lane: Doug Gordon Runs 6.087/151.61, Now #7
Right Lane: Chris Foster Runs 5.583/258.91, Now #1

Gordon was on a good looking pass until around 1000 feet when he banged the blower and coasted through the 1320. Foster launched hard and was straight down the groove to go to the number one spot. Chris Foster's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.684/205.79 mph, 1,000ft-4.714.

---

Left Lane: Steve Gasparrelli Runs 5.695/257.92, Now #5
Right Lane: Jay Payne Runs 5.620/258.71, Now #2

Gasparrelli was skating around, but stayed with it to get in the top half of the show. Payne with a great looking pass to go to the number two spot. Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.562, 660ft-3.783/203.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.822.
Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.960 sec., 330ft-2.508, 660ft-3.718/204.85 mph, 1,000ft-4.750.

---

Left Lane: Annie Whiteley Runs 5.560/259.66, Now #1
Right Lane: Dan Pomponio Runs 5.662/255.97, Now #5

This was a great drag race as Whiteley goes to the number one spot. Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.484, 660ft-3.672/208.14 mph, 1,000ft-4.694. Pomponio gets into the top half of the show. Dan Pomponio's incremental times: 60ft-0.973 sec., 330ft-2.527, 660ft-3.743/202.58 mph, 1,000ft-4.783.

---

Left Lane: Shane Westerfield Runs 5.545/259.96, Now #1
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 7.098/121.62, Now #15

Westerfield launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-99.999, 660ft-3.659/207.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.680. Bartone shakes and clicks it off.

---

Left Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 5.588/261.42, Now #5
Right Lane: Frank Manzo Runs 5.502/264.86, Now #1

This was a great drag race with Lombardo Jr. going to the number five spot. John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.970 sec., 330ft-2.515, 660ft-3.708/207.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.727. Manzo launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Frank Manzo's incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.460, 660ft-3.643/209.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.652.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink