Sun, 30 Sep 2001, 09:13 PM IMPORT -6 - Hot Rod Round 1 Eliminations

By Michael L Jex

PONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Hot Rod at the Mazda NHRA Import World Finals Presented by Toyo Tires:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Dan Woodhull       11.473 122.14  Q    5 Myles Bautista      9.960 145.34
                  0.597 11.734 132.11  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.619 10.012 147.08

Bautista's Honda blew the hats off several people's heads during the burnout. This car is LOUD! After that he calmly staged and blew past Woodhull before the 100 foot mark.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Mike Laskey        10.670 129.92  Q    8 Viren Singh        10.435 131.46
 *****WINNER***** 0.641 10.569 129.62  E1                  0.695 14.842  65.34

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  18 Anthony Congley    13.458 108.27  Q    2 Jojo A Callos       9.258 154.47
                  0.728 12.097 118.37  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.604  9.187 153.16

Congley had something let go at the top end of the track, we're down for an oil cleanup.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  17 R De La Cruz       13.196  88.05  Q    3 Kenny Tran          9.302 151.71
                  0.880 No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 1.087  9.486 149.62

De La Cruz broke an axle right at the start, went about 100 feet and stopped. Tran recovered from his awful light and drove to the stripe right down the middle of his lane.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Leevon Eisele      10.195 138.91  Q   12 Tri Do             11.076 141.73
                  0.000 No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 2.284 10.552 138.54

Eisele is a no-show, too much breakage to continue. Do drove it through, but lost lane choice to Tran in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Andrew Tran        10.728 139.10  Q    7 Jensen Oda         10.415 126.72
                  0.000 No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 0.966 No Time

Tran is another no-show, the sticky racing surface has proved to be quite a challenge to drivetrain components for these temperamental machines. Nice run for Oda, but we didn't get a speed on that run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  19 Mike Crawford      15.183  55.49  Q    1 Lisa Kubo           9.161 157.48
                  0.000 No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 1.310 18.506  64.34

Crawford is another casualty - another no-show. Kubo elects to take things easy, and takes a slow drive down Parker Avenue. This famous dragstrip street is named after William H. Parker for you trivia buffs....

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 James West         11.706 116.77  Q    4 Bruce Mortensen     9.687 151.79
                  0.000 No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 0.805  9.549 155.49

Mortensen is driving for Jimmy O'Connor - the young man who suffered a broken leg in a testing accident last week.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink