Sun, 01 May 2016, 17:15 PM Pro Modified Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 3 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
    1 Troy Coughlin                        5087 Jim Whiteley                 
E3                   0.044  5.934 249.53     ****WINNER****  0.031  5.924 241.02
 Prior rounds:
E2    (K A alBaloos) 0.041  5.835 252.76      (S Molinari  ) 0.026  5.923 245.14
E1    (J Naiser    ) 0.049  5.917 254.28      (P Farber    ) 0.044  6.022 238.60
 Qualified:             #2  5.798 255.92                       #18  5.957 235.43

3:49 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 79 percent, barometer 29.77 inches, adjusted altitude 2,488 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

This is the first time Coughlin and Whiteley have faced each other in eliminations. Whiteley is in eliminations as an alternate.

Whiteley had a small edge at the green and Coughlin's turbo car did not make its usual hard top-end charge, Whiteley leading all the way.

Jim Whiteley's incremental margins: 60ft(0.003), 330 ft(0.045), 660ft(0.063), 1,000ft(0.040). MOV: 0.0233 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

Troy Coughlin's incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.642, 660ft-3.948/194.04 mph, 1,000ft-5.029.
Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.610, 660ft-3.898/192.38 mph, 1,000ft-5.002.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rickie Smith                          360 Bob Rahaim                   
E3   ****WINNER****  0.078  5.776 250.00                     0.045  6.532 168.41
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Biehle II ) 0.082  5.823 249.49      (B Glidden   ) 0.061  5.901 243.46
E1    (S Whiteley  ) 0.229  5.837 249.16      (S Matusek   ) 0.077  5.925 246.26
 Qualified:             #1  5.779 250.46                        #5  5.861 246.48

Smith is 2 - 1 against Rahaim in prior events, 1 - 0 in semifinal rounds. But first, another "spritzing" delay.

4:09 p.m. Dry again - it isn't raining, but occasionally a light mist shuts things down and then the track dries all by itself.

Smith is on a tear this weekend and just ran low ET of the event. Rahaim left first, but slowed well before the finish line.

Smith will have lane choice against Whiteley in the final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink