Sat, 30 Apr 2016, 18:20 PM Pro Modified Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Modified at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual SpringNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Mike Janis                              6 Bill Glidden                 
E1                  -0.011  5.937 245.81     ****WINNER****  0.048 10.171  88.82
 Qualified:            #13  5.930 236.38                       #17  5.955 241.71

4:57 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 29.62 inches, adjusted altitude 3,042 feet, track temperature 126 degrees.

Gliddden was in as an alternate for Sidnei Frigo and he gets the win light on Janis' red light, slowing with tire shake a couple hundred feet out.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5087 Jim Whiteley                           10 Pete Farber                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  6.022 238.60                     0.122  5.952 244.96
 Qualified:            #18  5.957 235.43                       #11  5.919 245.58

Whiteley is in as an alternate for Jonathan Gray. He also gets the win when Farber is late. Jim Whiteley's MOV: 0.0083 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  327 Khalid alBalooshi                       7 Danny Rowe                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.065  5.858 247.25                     0.042  5.959 243.72
 Qualified:             #7  5.870 247.16                       #10  5.914 246.26

No upset here, Rowe with a small holeshot and alBalooshi running him down with ease.

Khalid alBalooshi's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.014), 330 ft(0.009), 660ft(0.042), 1,000ft(0.066). MOV: 0.0782 seconds (approximately 28 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 Mike Castellana                       318 Michael Biehle               
E1                   0.046  6.053 246.03     ****WINNER****  0.041  5.975 250.04
 Qualified:             #9  5.904 244.52                        #8  5.880 252.33

Good even start and Castellana had the early lead, but Biehle ran him down by 330 feet, then pulled ahead for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  360 Bob Rahaim                           5450 Steve Matusek                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.925 246.26                     0.052  5.953 245.72
 Qualified:             #5  5.861 246.48                       #12  5.928 247.02

Matusek had a small holeshot and held Rahaim off past the 1,000-foot marker, but Rahaim nipped him in the lights. Rahaim will have lane choice against Glidden in round two.

Bob Rahaim's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.021), 330 ft(-0.038), 660ft(-0.019), 1,000ft(-0.003). MOV: 0.0031 seconds (approximately 13 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6718 Shane Molinari                       2377 Von Smith                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  7.762 135.33                     0.049 12.960  65.49
 Qualified:            #14  5.936 250.74                        #3  5.802 249.12

Smith shook and slowed immediately. Molinari shook and recovered, then slowed on the top end. He will not have lane choice against Jim White in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4914 Jeff Naiser                             1 Troy Coughlin                
E1                   0.063  6.465 239.65     ****WINNER****  0.049  5.917 254.28
 Qualified:            #22  5.986 243.55                        #2  5.798 255.92

Naiser was in as an alternate for Doug Winters. He was no match for Coughlin, but Coughlin won't have lane choice when he faces alBalooshi in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rickie Smith                         5200 Steven Whiteley              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.229  5.837 249.16                     2.827 No Time      
 Qualified:             #1  5.779 250.46                       #16  5.941 245.99

Whiteley staged, then his engine went silent. Smith ran low ET of the round and will have lane choice against Biehle in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink