Fri, 12 Feb 2016, 15:16 PM Competition Eliminator Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Competition Eliminator at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed this round, amount over/under index this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time, speed & over/under Index, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Tony Mandella Runs 8.387/157.74/-0.653, Now #3; C/TA Index: 9.04, Prior Best: 8.567/138.94/-0.473, Was #12
Right Lane: Ray Skillman Runs 7.480/181.08/-0.740, Now #1; D/AA Index: 8.22, Prior Best: 7.492/181.28/-0.728, Was #1

11:59 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 27 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 2,802 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Skillman improved in both sessions to stay #1. Field not filled, no bump spot.

...and he does it again! That will set the rest of the field back on their heels!

Big improvement for Mandella after a Q1 DQ and a so-so pass in Q2. Nice.

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Left Lane: Jeff Lane Runs 8.494/120.98/-0.216, Now #6; C/SMA Index: 8.71, Prior Best: 8.059/167.61/-0.651, Was #5
Right Lane: Alan Ellis Runs 6.505/208.17/-0.725, Now #2; A/AP Index: 7.23, Prior Best: 6.597/206.83/-0.633, Was #6

Ellis gets the power to the ground this time and jumps way up the ladder to the new #2 spot on a strong pass.

Lane's Cobalt left well and then slowed down track. He can't improve.

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Left Lane: Scott Hedlund Runs 7.752/175.62/-0.698, Now #3; A/SM Index: 8.45, Prior Best: 7.744/174.62/-0.706, Was #5
Right Lane: Ralph Van Paepeghem Runs 7.273/181.25/-0.647, Now #7; A/EA Index: 7.92, Prior Best: 7.301/181.15/-0.619, Was #15

Two strong passes and Hedlund stays #3.

A big move for Van Paepeghem to #7.

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Left Lane: Ross Wilson Runs 8.107/168.60/-0.553, Now #10; B/SM Index: 8.66, Prior Best: 8.076/168.68/-0.584, Was #10
Right Lane: Lucky Snyder Runs 8.231/165.25/-0.409, Now #13; F/A Index: 8.64, Prior Best: 8.299/164.69/-0.341, Was #13

Two clean passes and Snyder gets the best of it with a better ET to stay #13.

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Left Lane: Dean Carter Runs 6.994/189.02/-0.566, Now #9; B/ND Index: 7.56, Prior Best: 6.932/191.67/-0.628, Was #9
Right Lane: Doug Lambeck Runs 8.570/129.31/-0.410, Now #12; D/SMA Index: 8.98, Prior Best: 8.461/158.30/-0.519, Was #12

Clean passes, but neither car will improve.

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Left Lane: Dan Fletcher Runs 8.074/149.15/-0.626, Now #10; C/EA Index: 8.70, Prior Best: 8.810/98.90/0.110, Was #14
Right Lane: Ed Sigmon Runs 8.626/129.53/-0.424, Now #12; C/SR Index: 9.05, Prior Best: 8.516/137.60/-0.534, Was #11

Sigmon will want his 0.002 RT time back for tomorrow's eliminations!

Fletcher finally gets a representative pass and pushes Sigmon back a spot.

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Right Lane: Josh Lee Runs 8.893/138.54/-0.677, Now #4; H/EA Index: 9.57, Prior Best: 8.940/130.80/-0.630, Was #8

Lee will take a single to wrap up qualifying for the weekend.

Lee find the tune up too and move four spots on the ladder into the top four.

12:12 p.m. Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink