Sun, 01 May 2016, 18:30 PM Pro Modified Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of final, round 4 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
    4 Rickie Smith                         5087 Jim Whiteley                 
E4                   0.098 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.023 No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E3    (B Rahaim    ) 0.078  5.776 250.00      (T Coughlin  ) 0.031  5.924 241.02
E2    (M Biehle II ) 0.082  5.823 249.49      (S Molinari  ) 0.026  5.923 245.14
E1    (S Whiteley  ) 0.229  5.837 249.16      (P Farber    ) 0.044  6.022 238.60
 Qualified:             #1  5.779 250.46                       #18  5.957 235.43

5:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 80 percent, barometer 29.76 inches, adjusted altitude 2,383 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

This is the final pair of cars to complete this event. Smith is 2 - 1 against Whiteley in prior events and this is the first time they have faced each other in a final round. Smith has dominated all weekend, right from the first round of qualifying. Whiteley is in as second alternate after qualifying 18th, replacing Jonathan Gray.

This was wild - Whiteley shook immediately and shut off. Smith's car also shook and made an immediate right turn, crossed into the right lane. Smith tried to turn the car to point back up the track, getting up on the two left wheels, then hit the right wall hard. The car turned and went back across the lanes and hit the left wall before coming to a stop back in the right lane again. Smith gets a DQ (and a broken race car), Whiteley gets the win, even though he stopped just past half track. The win is his first, in his first-ever final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink