Sat, 04 Oct 2014, 15:11 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Right Lane: Mickey Ferro Runs 6.977/239.87, Now #19; Best prior run: 8.076/116.83, Was #19

2:41 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 29.01 inches, adjusted altitude 2,139 feet, track temperature 85 degrees.

Ferro started okay but it sounded as if the car did not shift gears correctly about 100 feet out. He finished the run but was not quick enough to make the field.

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Left Lane: John Fiorini Runs 6.369/217.63, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.939/247.47, Was #16
Right Lane: John Headley Runs 8.137/112.55, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.396/198.20, Was #18

There was a lot of pedaling going on by both drivers in this pair of runs. Both drivers shook, pedaled, drifted and pedaled, with Fiorini coming close to tagging the wall. Headley will not make the field, Fiorini is on the bump spot with one non-qualified driver waiting in the lanes.

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Left Lane: Paul Noakes Runs 5.681/255.92, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.909/251.39, Was #15
Right Lane: Marie Ferriolo Runs 6.864/151.80, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.962/190.70, Was #17

This was a rough run for Noakes. He had a good run that moved him up five spots in the order but then his chutes did not fully open. His car started bouncing around, before finally coming to a stop just at the sand trap. Ferriolo's car shook and drifted on the track, then came close to the wall at mid track before she clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Tony Bogolo Runs 5.824/244.56, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.898/245.58, Was #15
Right Lane: Todd Robertson Runs 7.433/115.04, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.882/227.04, Was #14

Bogolo's car got loose at mid track. He stayed on the throttle, straightened the car out and moved up two spots in the qualifying order, pushing Robertson down in the process. Robertson's car shook the rear tires before he backed off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Tyler Scott Runs 7.034/136.84, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.731/254.66, Was #12
Right Lane: Todd Veney Runs 11.921/68.45, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.838/199.73, Was #14

Veney's car launched, shook the rear tires and bounced a bit before he shut it down at 330 feet. Scott's car got out to about 330 feet, then the rear tires broke loose, the rear end started swinging and the car got close to the wall. Scott tried to straighten out and finish the run but finally gave up on it and shut the car down.

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Left Lane: Fred Tigges Runs 5.680/231.36, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.653/253.99, Was #9
Right Lane: Matt Gill Runs 6.426/155.85, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.613/259.16, Was #6

Gill's car was motoring down the track when it began to slow at about 1,000 feet. Tigges had a good run going, then something popped under the car as he crossed the finish line.

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Left Lane: Sean Bellemeur Runs 10.861/77.56, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.648/256.21, Was #8
Right Lane: Dale Brand Runs 5.877/207.56, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.590/261.47, Was #4

Bellemeur's car shook the rear tires hard coming out of the gate, so he clicked it off. Brand got to mid track, then the car started to shake the rear tires and bounce. Brand pedaled it and got back on the throttle to straighten the car out.

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Left Lane: Dan Pomponio Runs 5.651/253.66, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.645/256.31, Was #7

Pomponio's car looked good to mid track, then it started to shake the rear tires and bounce around on the track.

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Left Lane: Clint Thompson Runs 7.833/103.71, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.600/254.95, Was #5
Right Lane: John Lombardo Jr. Runs 11.788/67.31, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.533/263.31, Was #1

Both drivers launched, both shook the rear tires, both pedaled one time and then both clicked off again ... all before they reached 330 feet.

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Left Lane: Steve Harker Runs 5.510/263.77, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.546/262.28, Was #2
Right Lane: DJ Cox Jr. Runs 5.713/250.32, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.719/249.76, Was #11

Harker won the Charlotte event and got the 12th number one start of his career with a strong run down the track. Cox had a bit of tire shake and that left him where he was in the qualifying order.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink