Sat, 19 Sep 2015, 20:28 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

CONCORD, N.C. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Eighth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  802 Jonnie Lindberg                       244 Joshua Haskett               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.150  5.988 254.90                     0.197  7.912 129.73
 Qualified:             #1  5.446 268.60                       #16  6.189 192.44

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.20 inches, adjusted altitude 2,964 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

This is the first time Lindberg and Haskett have faced each other in eliminations. Lindberg with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He made a quick move toward the wall, but reeled it in and stayed with it for the win. Haskett with tire shake and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   12 Matt Gill                              10 Kris Hool                    
E1                   0.063  8.638 102.38     ****WINNER****  0.025  5.645 257.43
 Qualified:             #7  5.576 261.37                       #10  5.668 258.17

Hool is 1 - 0 against Gill in prior events. Hool with a great light and never trailed for the win as he is straight down the groove. Gill made a quick move toward the wall and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Dan Pomponio                           14 DJ Cox Jr.                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.744 256.41                     0.023  5.857 204.29
 Qualified:             #8  5.623 258.07                        #9  5.627 256.80

Cox Jr. is 2 - 0 against Pomponio in prior events. Cox with a great light and the lead until right in the lights when the car went silent and Pomponio was able to chase him down for the win. Dan Pomponio's MOV: 0.0819 seconds (approximately 25 feet). He will have lane choice over Lindberg in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1002 Tyler Scott                             3 Jay Payne                    
E1                   0.068  5.812 241.37     ****WINNER****  0.076  5.757 248.75
 Qualified:            #11  5.682 249.44                        #6  5.572 262.79

This is the first time Scott and Payne have faced each other in eliminations. Scott with the starting line advantage, but Payne had the difference made up by 150 feet and never trailed from there on for the win. Jay Payne's MOV: 0.0475 seconds (approximately 17 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Andy Bohl                              11 Mickey Ferro                 
E1                   0.131  5.691 258.17     ****WINNER****  0.014  5.508 269.08
 Qualified:            #12  5.685 240.34                        #5  5.552 266.53

Bohl and Ferro have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Ferro with a great light and his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. That was great looking pass, the quickest of this round. Mickey Ferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.501, 660ft-3.676/212.63 mph, 1,000ft-4.671.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  800 Ulf Leanders                           15 Todd Veney                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.106  5.686 260.76                     0.082 12.746  65.92
 Qualified:            #13  5.759 259.81                        #4  5.539 262.90

Leanders and Veney have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Veney with the starting line advantage, but then had problems right at the hit and Lenders with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will give up lane choice to Ferro in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2063 Mark Rogers                             1 Steve Harker                 
E1                   0.208  6.677 151.90     ****WINNER****  0.073  5.698 255.58
 Qualified:            #14  5.798 243.50                        #3  5.500 267.11

Harker is 1 - 0 against Rogers in prior events. Harker with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will have lane choice over Payne in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1625 Marie Ferriolo                          6 John Lombardo Jr.            
E1                   0.193  6.454 211.03     ****WINNER****  0.120  5.852 267.91
 Qualified:            #15  5.848 242.84                        #2  5.490 270.43

Lombardo Jr. is 1 - 0 against Ferriolo in prior events. Lombardo with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He had tire shake right at the hit and pedaled it and got it to hook up and take the win. He will give up lane choice to Hool in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink