Sat, 13 Feb 2016, 18:49 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations |
By Larry Sullivan |
POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
8 Shane Westerfield 800 Ulf Leanders
E1 0.004 9.190 97.60 ****WINNER**** 0.066 5.578 261.17
Qualified: #5 5.525 268.71 #12 5.605 261.72
3:20 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 28.94 inches,
adjusted altitude 3,044 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.This is the first time Westerfield and Leanders have faced
each other in eliminations. Westerfield had a great light, but both cars shook. Leanders was able to drive through it
nicely while Westerfield was backpedaling, eventually giving up on the run. Leanders with an easy win and his best ET of
the event.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 65 Brian Hough 6345 Clint Thompson E1 ****WINNER**** 0.076 5.520 265.48 0.051 5.728 260.26 Qualified: #8 5.570 262.18 #9 5.576 261.83Hough is 3 - 2 against Thompson in prior events.
Thompson left first, but had to backpedal to get through shake
and by then Hough was long-gone, with his best ET of the event.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 803 Steven Ham 76 Terry Ruckman E1 -0.303 18.146 22.60 ****WINNER**** 0.037 5.659 255.10 Qualified: #7 5.562 260.76 #10 5.577 262.79This is the first time Ham and Ruckman have faced each other in eliminations. Ham is the 525th different driver to qualify in Top Alcohol Funny Car at a national event.
Ham left early, then spun the tires and popped the burst panel,
deploying the chutes. Ruckman was on time and made a clean run, the win light on before he left the line.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 10 Jay Payne 729 Nick Januik E1 0.112 10.226 85.75 ****WINNER**** 0.063 5.636 253.37 Qualified: #6 5.528 257.28 #11 5.580 259.56Payne's car shook and danced until he lifted. Januik made a clean run, though not as quick as his qualifying run.
So far four pairs, three wins from the bottom half of the field.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 799 Sean Bellemeur 747 Mike Doushgounian E1 0.043 9.251 96.07 ****WINNER**** 0.051 5.533 263.00 Qualified: #13 5.641 258.22 #4 5.498 262.90This is the first time Bellemeur and Doushgounian have faced each other in eliminations.
Bellemeur's car shook and danced, then he lifted. Meanwhile, Doushgounian went right down the groove on a clean run.
Doushgounian will have
lane choice against Leanders in round two.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 7238 Bret Williamson 4 Doug Gordon E1 0.088 5.748 252.43 ****WINNER**** 0.111 5.541 265.12 Qualified: #14 5.689 253.61 #3 5.466 268.81Neither car had any major problems here, Williamson left first and Gordon ran him down in the first 100 feet.
Gordon will have lane choice against Januik in round two.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 721 Chip Beverett 2 John Lombardo Jr. E1 0.131 5.745 257.28 ****WINNER**** 0.052 5.477 270.92 Qualified: #17 6.004 178.28 #2 5.462 271.35Beverett was in as a alternate for Hannes Wernhart. He made his best run of the event, but Lombardo left first and ran away from Beverett.
Lombardo will have lane choice against Ruckman in round two.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 77 Steve Gasparrelli 1 Jonnie Lindberg E1 0.322 5.592 262.39 ****WINNER**** 0.095 5.476 268.44 Qualified: #16 5.885 255.63 #1 5.421 262.28Lindberg is 1 - 0 against Gasparrelli in prior events.
Gasparrelli was very late and Lindberg was long gone.
Lindberg will have lane choice against Hough in round two.
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