Thu, 08 Nov 2018, 14:38 PM Competition Eliminator Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Competition Eliminator at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, amount over/under index, and position in order following run, class and class index:

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Left Lane: Brandon Huhtala Runs 9.616/97.83/1.956, Now #1 B/A Index: 7.66
Right Lane: Todd Miller No Time, Now #2 AA/AM Index: 7.04

11:09 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 68 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 28.84 inches, adjusted altitude 2,528 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.

Well, that was an exciting way to start qualifying! Miller hits the loud pedal at the green and goes dead left, right across the track to near Huhtala, before getting the altered under control and pulling back into his lane.

Huhtala gets out of way and slows.

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Left Lane: Josh Lee Runs 8.847/148.41/-0.643, Now #1 H/EA Index: 9.49
Right Lane: Ed Sigmon Runs 8.452/152.24/-0.578, Now #2 C/SR Index: 9.03

Much calmer pair, this time.

Two clean passes and Lee sets an early mark for the field.

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Left Lane: Tom Mettler Runs 7.401/183.59/-0.589, Now #2 PST Index: 7.99
Right Lane: Stig Olsson Runs 7.177/191.97/0.087, Now #4 A/DA Index: 7.09

Olsson has a strong leave and then slows.

Mettler gets a good clean pass to tune to.

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Left Lane: Barry Forrester Runs 7.371/178.14/-0.519, Now #5 C/ED Index: 7.89
Right Lane: John Edwards Runs 7.413/181.79/-0.527, Now #4 C/AA Index: 7.94

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Left Lane: Ralph Van Paepeghem Runs 7.322/181.20/-0.488, Now #6 A/EA Index: 7.81
Right Lane: Ryan Warter Runs 11.117/75.25/1.817, Now #8 F/SM Index: 9.30

Warter slows early, but Van Paepeghem puts a good number up on the boards.

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Left Lane: Doug Engels Runs 7.305/179.06/-0.605, Now #2 D/ED Index: 7.91
Right Lane: Brian Hyerstay Runs 8.677/147.09/-0.603, Now #3 G/D Index: 9.28

Hyerstay drifts out of the groove towards the wall, but stays after it to move into #3 for now.

Straight and true pass for Engels and #2.

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Left Lane: Tony Mandella Runs 7.931/157.72/-0.559, Now #7 A/SMA Index: 8.49
Right Lane: Travis Gusso Runs 8.349/162.25/-0.631, Now #2 G/A Index: 8.98

Gusso moves into the #2 spot and Mandella into #7 with ease.

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Left Lane: David Billingsley Runs 8.079/164.13/-0.641, Now #3 D/EA Index: 8.72
Right Lane: Doug Lambeck Runs 8.291/162.00/-0.649, Now #1 D/SMA Index: 8.94

Two big wheels up leaves and Billingsley runs close to the 8.04 record for #3, but Lambeck powers on down to take over the top spot.

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Left Lane: Jeff Lane No Time, Now #17 B/SMA Index: 8.54
Right Lane: Jim Greenheck Runs 7.543/178.73/-0.607, Now #5 D/AA Index: 8.15

Lane has issues after the burnout and is pushed away.

Clean pass for Greenheck.

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Left Lane: Art Hodges Runs 7.628/178.59/-0.722, Now #1 D/A Index: 8.35
Right Lane: David Rampy Runs 7.259/166.76/-0.561, Now #11 A/EA Index: 7.82

Rampy comes into qualifying with his last race as Number one and is looked for his 100th win this weekend. Strong leave and a clean finish moves him into the #11 spot for now.

Hodges has the power and runs his Camaro right on up to the new top spot.

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Left Lane: Allen Wilson Runs 18.520/43.82/9.260, Now #20 F/SMA Index: 9.26
Right Lane: Randy Jones Runs 8.287/162.51/-0.703, Now #2 C/T Index: 8.99

Wilson has problems early and slows.

Jones doesn't and takes the final #2 spot of the session with a strong pass.

11:25 a.m. Art Hodges is number one at -0.722 and the Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink