Sun, 16 Nov 2014, 16:11 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  806 Steve Harker                           77 Doug Gordon                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.030  5.482 266.69                     0.037  5.603 261.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Hough     ) 0.057  5.718 256.80      (S Westerfiel) 0.046  5.581 258.27
 Qualified:             #4  5.536 263.26                        #5  5.562 259.31

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 41 percent, barometer 29.01 inches, adjusted altitude 2,354 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Gordon is 1 - 0 against Harker in prior events. Harker with a great light and never trailed as he runs the quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Steve Harker's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.645/212.03 mph, 1,000ft-4.640.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5757 Terry Ruckman                           6 Tony Bartone                 
E2                   0.020  8.278 112.31     ****WINNER****  0.093  5.685 262.95
 Prior rounds:
E1    (U Leanders  ) 0.055  5.695 258.91      (K Hool      ) 0.034  5.579 262.08
 Qualified:            #16  5.654 258.62                        #9  5.570 262.23

This is the first time Ruckman and Bartone have faced each other in eliminations. Ruckman with the starting line advantage and then has a lot of tire shake and pedals it and is back into tire shake and makes a move toward the centerline before he clicked it off. Bartone was straight down the groove with a good looking pass, but will give up lane choice to Harker in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  802 Jonnie Lindberg                         2 John Lombardo Jr.            
E2                  -0.094 10.708  79.02     ****WINNER****  0.090  5.488 267.06
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Harrington) 0.016  5.576 260.46      (J Payne     ) 0.070  6.400 161.50
 Qualified:             #2  5.531 263.05                        #7  5.565 265.27

This is the first time Lindberg and Lombardo Jr. have faced each other in eliminations. Lindberg turns on the red light...Lombardo Jr. then runs a 5.48 along with top speed of the event in the win. John Lombardo Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.467, 660ft-3.646/210.47 mph, 1,000ft-4.644.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  747 Mike Doushgounian                       9 Todd Veney                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.089  5.579 255.34                     0.122  7.221 141.40
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Gasparrell) 0.056  5.565 260.46      (G Hunter    ) 0.068  7.384 208.65
 Qualified:             #6  5.563 261.72                        #3  5.532 262.85

This is the first time Doushgounian and Veney have faced each other in eliminations. Doushgounian with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Veney was up in smoke right at the hit and pedaled it...Doushgounian will give up lane choice to Lombardo Jr. in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink