Sun, 10 Nov 2013, 17:52 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   69 Clint Thompson                        568 Cody Perkins                 
E3   ****WINNER****  0.054  5.646 247.75                     0.030  6.946 187.42
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Woznichak ) 0.037  5.548 261.83      (S Westerfiel) 0.053  5.569 260.36
E1    (T Bartone   ) 0.059  5.560 260.41      (S Gasparrell) 0.041  5.645 258.71
 Qualified:             #8  5.563 259.91                        #4  5.543 260.91

2:43 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 2,870 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

This is the first time Thompson and Perkins have faced each other in eliminations.

Perkins was up in smoke almost immediately. Thompson made a clean run, but ate a bunch of pistons at the stripe.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Frank Manzo                             4 Annie Whiteley               
E3   ****WINNER****  0.044  5.522 266.21                     0.043  5.538 258.76
 Prior rounds:
E2    (V Smith     ) 0.038  5.496 266.69      (S Bellemeur ) 0.094  5.514 260.76
E1    (K Hool      ) 0.053  5.508 266.69      (B Hough     ) 0.095  5.532 259.61
 Qualified:             #3  5.534 264.86                        #2  5.530 260.01

Manzo is 3 - 0 against Whiteley in prior events. They have never raced each other in a semifinal round.

Great drag race and Manzo has a chance to go out as a winner. He had to come from behind to get the win, trailing at every timer except the one that matters.

Frank Manzo's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.019), 330 ft(-0.025), 660ft(-0.023), 1,000ft(-0.007). MOV: 0.0154 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

Manzo will have lane choice against Thompson in the final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink