Sun, 27 Oct 2013, 12:29 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 13th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  237 Von Smith                             766 Jason Rupert                 
E1   ****WINNER**** -0.073 10.022  87.61                    -0.086  5.653 255.73
 Qualified:             #8  5.658 258.42                        #9  5.673 254.04

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 28 percent, barometer 27.84 inches, adjusted altitude 3,446 feet.

Smith is 1 - 0 against Rupert in prior events. Rupert is too quick on the tree and turned on the red light. Smith is in his first Alcohol race since Dallas of 2008, he won that race. Smith with a lot of tire shake, but had the win and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6180 Jirka Kaplan                            9 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.168  9.836 145.09
 Qualified:             #7  5.634 251.86                       #10  5.674 255.82

This is the first time Kaplan and Gasparrelli have faced each other in eliminations. Kaplan left before the tree was activated and then Gasparrelli launched into violent tire shake and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Shane Westerfield                     568 Cody Perkins                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.042  5.614 259.21                     0.086  5.885 245.58
 Qualified:             #6  5.623 258.02                       #11  5.676 256.70

Perkins making his Top Alcohol Funny Car debut this weekend...Westerfield is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win. Westerfield with his quickest pass of the weekend. Westerfield keeps his title hopes alive.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 John Lombardo Jr.                     703 Mark Woznichak               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  5.561 260.06                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #5  5.609 258.76                       #12  5.676 255.82

This is the first time Lombardo Jr. and Woznichak have faced each other in eliminations. Woznichak rolled the beams. Lombardo Jr. runs his quickest pass of the weekend in the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tony Bartone                            7 Kris Hool                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  5.526 261.47                     0.053  5.757 255.19
 Qualified:             #3  5.571 260.36                       #14  5.697 255.15

Bartone is 4 - 1 against Hool in prior events. Hool with the starting line advantage, but Bartone had the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Bartone with the quickest pass of the event for the win. He will have lane choice over Westerfield in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Jay Payne                              78 Doug Gordon                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  5.564 259.16                     0.158  5.733 252.38
 Qualified:             #4  5.578 258.57                       #13  5.688 252.05

Gordon is 6 - 5 against Payne in prior events. Payne with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will give up lane choice to Lombardo Jr. by 0.003 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                           739 Hannes Wernhart              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.049  5.531 263.20                     0.062 No Time      
 Qualified:             #2  5.570 260.86                       #15  5.697 251.67

This is the first time Manzo and Wernhart have faced each other in eliminations. Manzo with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as Wernhart was up in smoke right off the starting line. Manzo with his quickest pass of the weekend and he will have lane choice over Gasparrelli in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Annie Whiteley                       7238 Bret Williamson              
E1                  -0.003  5.662 258.42     ****WINNER****  0.066  5.736 251.06
 Qualified:             #1  5.560 257.73                       #16  5.698 251.16

Williamson is 1 - 0 against Whiteley in prior events. Whiteley is just a few ticks too quick on the tree and turns on the red light. Williamson upsets the No. 1 qualifier. Williamson will have lane choice over V. Smith in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink