Sun, 05 Oct 2014, 14:53 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  500 Dale Brand                            806 Steve Harker                 
E3                   0.019 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.043  5.454 267.91
 Prior rounds:
E2    (C Thompson  ) 0.026  5.533 262.69      (S Bellemeur ) 0.493  5.554 265.38
E1    (T Bogolo    ) 0.026  5.530 261.78      (J Fiorini   ) 0.031  5.483 264.29
 Qualified:             #4  5.590 261.47                        #1  5.510 263.77

Weather conditions: air temperature 61 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 29.28 inches, adjusted altitude 1,264 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Brand and Harker have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Brand with another great light and then has violent tire shake and makers a move toward the centerline and crosses it. Harker launched hard and keep it hooked up to make his career quickest and fastest pass for the win. Harker with the win clinches th Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 John Lombardo Jr.                      15 DJ Cox Jr.                   
E3   ****WINNER****  0.086  5.471 266.06                     0.037  5.602 257.68
 Prior rounds:
E2    (P Noakes    ) 0.113  5.455 267.80      (T Veney     ) 0.043  5.629 256.21
E1    (T Robertson ) 0.086  5.568 263.62      (M Gill      ) 0.023  5.607 256.70
 Qualified:             #2  5.533 263.31                       #11  5.713 250.32

Cox Jr. is 1 - 0 against Lombardo Jr. in prior events. Cox Jr. with the starting line advantage and his straight down the groove with his career quickest pass, but Lombardo Jr. was able to chase him down by 330 feet and take the win. John Lombardo Jr.'s MOV: 0.0829 seconds (approximately 31 feet). John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.455, 660ft-3.630/211.56 mph, 1,000ft-4.626. DJ Cox Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.990 sec., 330ft-2.505, 660ft-3.701/205.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.730. Lombardo Jr. Lombardo will give up lane choice to Harker in the final.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink