Mon, 01 Sep 2014, 08:29 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations |
By Larry Sullivan |
BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 60th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
8 Steve Gasparrelli 32 Chris Foster
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.066 5.634 256.45 0.101 5.642 251.34
Qualified: #8 5.649 257.97 #9 5.661 254.33
7:54 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 83 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted
altitude 3,022 feet, track temperature 80 degrees.It's not your traditional Monday start at Indy, TAFC at 8 a.m., but weather has forced a lot of unusual scheduling decisions in order to get the 60th U.S. Nationals in the books.
Gasparrelli is 1 - 0 against Foster in prior events. You would normally see this pairing later in the event, but a large, talented field of cars showed up this year and the bump time was a hefty 5.731.
Gasparrelli had a bigger cup of coffee this morning and his better light gave him the lead all the way, despite better incremental times for Foster at all the intermediate timing marks. Both drivers beat their qualifying imes in a very good drag race.
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental margins: 60ft(0.018), 330 ft(0.009), 660ft(0.015), 1,000ft(0.027). MOV: 0.0433 seconds (approximately 16 feet).
Steve Gasparrelli's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec.,
330ft-2.507, 660ft-3.725/203.22 mph, 1,000ft-4.759.
Chris Foster's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.481,
660ft-3.705/201.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.751.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6 Tony Bartone 10 Andy Bohl
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.025 5.654 256.50 0.087 5.831 251.02
Qualified: #7 5.639 256.84 #10 5.664 255.43
Bartone is 3 - 0 against Bohl in prior events. Bartone had a nice light, Bohl did not, then his car did a bucking bronco
imitation and the race was over.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 147 Fred Tigges 800 Ulf Leanders E1 ****WINNER**** 0.075 5.653 246.89 No Time Qualified: #11 5.690 254.52 #6 5.625 259.76This is the first time Tigges and Leanders have faced each other in eliminations.
Tough break for Leanders, the crew cranked the engine at the ready line and it would not start. The report from the lanes is "dead battery."
Nice solo pass for Tigges, his best of the weekend.
Fred Tigges' incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.500, 660ft-3.720/202.33 mph, 1,000ft-4.765.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
4 Annie Whiteley 7 Jay Payne
E1 0.130 11.903 70.51 ****WINNER**** 0.066 5.640 257.14
Qualified: #5 5.616 259.11 #12 5.694 256.60
Whiteley and Payne have each won 2 times against the other in prior events. Whiteley was late, then shook hard and lifted. Payne made his best run of the event, right down the groove.
Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.526,
660ft-3.737/204.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.767.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 194 Mickey Ferro 747 Mike Doushgounian E1 0.050 5.677 255.19 ****WINNER**** 0.048 5.623 257.63 Qualified: #13 5.698 255.15 #4 5.607 258.42This is the first time Ferro and Doushgounian have faced each other in eliminations. Since they live in Connecticut and California, respectively, that's not too surprising.
Almost dead-even at the start, but Doushgounian steadily stretched his lead from there on to win by about a car length. Ferro made his best run of the event, but it wasn't enough.
Mike Doushgounian's incremental margins: 60ft(0.022), 330 ft(0.034), 660ft(0.040), 1,000ft(0.047). MOV: 0.0566 seconds (approximately 21 feet).
He will have lane choice against Payne in round 2.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 806 Steve Harker 799 Sean Bellemeur E1 ****WINNER**** 0.054 5.614 259.11 0.055 5.723 253.52 Qualified: #3 5.592 262.18 #14 5.720 253.61This is the first time Harker and Bellemeur have faced each other in eliminations. Georgia and California this time.
Virtually identical reaction times, then it was all Harker as he steadily and quickly opened his lead.
Steve Harker's incremental margins: 60ft(0.014), 330 ft(0.045), 660ft(0.069), 1,000ft(0.091). MOV: 0.1102 seconds (approximately 41 feet).
Harker will have lane
choice against Tigges in round 2.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
2 John Lombardo Jr. 39 Todd Robertson
E1 No Time ****WINNER**** 0.799 5.731 248.75
Qualified: #2 5.591 259.01 #15 5.730 253.66
So far, track conditions have been excellent - most drivers matching or beating their qualifying times.This is the first time Lombardo Jr. and Robertson have faced each other in eliminations. California and Michigan.
Lombardo took too long staging and was
timed out. Robertson will not have lane choice against Bartone in round 2.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 802 Jonnie Lindberg 5 Dan Pomponio E1 ****WINNER**** 0.076 5.653 257.24 0.042 5.714 253.33 Qualified: #1 5.551 262.23 #16 5.731 252.76Lindberg blistered the track in the last two qualifying sessions, but Pomponio is 1 - 0 against Lindberg in prior events.
Pomponio was first to react, but Lindberg was ahead by the time they went 60 feet and won going away. Hoever, he slowed a tenth
from his qualifying pace and won't have lane choice against Gasparrelli in round 2.
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