Sun, 23 Apr 2017, 13:45 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shane Westerfield                      10 Steve Gasparrelli            
E2   ****WINNER****  0.037  5.443 270.54                     0.046  5.596 264.23
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Brown     ) 0.048  5.487 268.49      (M Billington) 0.094  5.577 263.00
 Qualified:             #4  5.552 266.64                        #3  5.546 262.23

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 30.01 inches, adjusted altitude 1,240 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Westerfield and Gasparrelli have each won 2 times against the other in prior events.

Westerfield with a great light and then runs low E.T. and top speed of the event for the win. Shane Westerfield's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.446, 660ft-3.616/213.37 mph, 1,000ft-4.609.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Doug Gordon                           636 Ray Martin                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.029  5.442 271.95                     0.038  5.537 255.58
 Prior rounds:
E1                   0.064  5.481 269.67      (A Whiteley  ) 0.065  5.497 264.34
 Qualified:             #1  5.511 268.87                        #7  5.587 258.62

This is the first time Gordon and Martin have faced each other in eliminations.

Gordon with a great light and he runs the quickest and fastest pass of the event for the win. Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.944 sec., 330ft-2.457, 660ft-3.624/213.70 mph, 1,000ft-4.612. He will have lane choice over Westerfield in the semifinal. Gordon with his career fastest pass in the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   54 Bill Bernard                           77 Jay Payne                    
E2                   0.054  5.494 259.86     ****WINNER****  0.084  5.442 268.76
 Prior rounds:
E1    (K Williams  ) 0.034  5.538 258.96      (J Jones     ) 0.086  5.450 268.49
 Qualified:             #5  5.577 257.58                        #2  5.538 264.55

This is the first time Bernard and Payne have faced each other in eliminations.

Bernard with the starting line advantage and the lead until right in the lights when Payne chases him down and takes the win. Jay Payne's MOV: 0.0228 seconds (approximately 9 feet). Payne matches Gordon's E.T. for low E.T. of the event. Jay Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.450, 660ft-3.615/213.13 mph, 1,000ft-4.606. That run is a career quickest and fastest pass for Payne. Payne will have the bye in the semifinal.

Bernard with a great pass and career E.T. in the losing effort. Bill Bernard's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.428, 660ft-3.612/209.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.629.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink