Sat, 29 Oct 2022, 18:21 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Gerard

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   63 Chris Marshall                        654 Randy Parker                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.102  5.533 266.48                     0.057  5.743 254.14
 Qualified:             #1  5.419 269.13                       #16  5.755 227.23

2:51 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 7 percent, barometer 30.06 inches, adjusted altitude 3,261 feet.

Parker has a big starting line advantage, but Marshall power kicks in and he drives on by right after the 60 foot lights and pulls steadily ahead for the decisive win.

Chris Marshall's incremental times: 60ft-0.965 sec., 330ft-2.496, 660ft-3.679/209.79 mph, 1,000ft-4.686.
Randy Parker's incremental times: 60ft-0.987 sec., 330ft-2.577, 660ft-3.811/200.89 mph, 1,000ft-4.859.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Doug Gordon                           800 Ulf Leanders                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.078  5.463 268.33                     0.055  5.531 263.82
 Qualified:             #3  5.449 268.76                       #14  5.682 260.36

Almost a duplicate of the first pair, Leanders with the starting line advantage and Gordon drives on by after the 60 foot lights.

Strong passes a pair and Leanders improves on his qualifying times to no avail.

. Doug Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.452, 660ft-3.627/211.23 mph, 1,000ft-4.623.
Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.472, 660ft-3.664/207.37 mph, 1,000ft-4.676.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Sean Bellemeur                         77 Ray Martin                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.123  5.573 265.17                     0.185  5.686 258.47
 Qualified:             #2  5.435 269.83                       #15  5.741 250.46

Two not so good lights, but Bellemeur has the better one and powers to the finish line for the decisive win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Brian Hough                           508 Doug Schneider               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.028  5.497 267.16                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #4  5.449 268.33                       #13  5.650 255.82

Schneider is a no show and Hough will get the free pass to round two.

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.479, 660ft-3.656/210.47 mph, 1,000ft-4.654.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  584 Annie Whiteley                          7 Nick Januik                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.094  5.525 267.37                    -0.070  5.601 247.57
 Qualified:             #5  5.494 268.44                       #12  5.571 261.12

Januik goes red!

Whiteley gets the free pass to round to, but gives up lane choice to Hough.

Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.959 sec., 330ft-2.504, 660ft-3.684/210.34 mph, 1,000ft-4.683.
Nick Januik's incremental times: 60ft-0.965 sec., 330ft-2.503, 660ft-3.704/206.95 mph, 1,000ft-4.726.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5087 Jim Whiteley                            4 DJ Cox Jr.                   
E1                   0.088  5.640 260.21     ****WINNER****  0.035  5.523 257.43
 Qualified:            #11  5.569 263.62                        #6  5.501 264.80

Whitely uses a lot of race track getting to the finish line and it costs him.

Cox is away first and pull steadily ahead to the finish line, running just off of his qualifying times.

Gordon will have lane choice in round two later.

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.541, 660ft-3.747/206.70 mph, 1,000ft-4.773.
DJ Cox Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.952 sec., 330ft-2.462, 660ft-3.645/208.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.658.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   14 Matt Gill                               5 Kris Hool                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.568 264.13                     0.087  5.561 263.05
 Qualified:             #7  5.509 266.21                       #10  5.540 264.18

Just 0.007 difference in their ET's and Gill scores the hole shot win.

They both make strong passes, but Gill gets the win and lane choice over Bellemeur next round.

Matt Gill's incremental margins: 60ft(0.027), 330 ft(0.015), 660ft(0.018), 1,000ft(0.023). MOV: 0.0275 seconds (approximately 11 feet).

Matt Gill's incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.511, 660ft-3.704/207.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.715.
Kris Hool's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.492, 660ft-3.688/208.10 mph, 1,000ft-4.704.

3:12 p.m.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  757 Mike Doushgounian                       9 Shane Westerfield            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.008  8.577 104.27                    -0.026  5.554 264.75
 Qualified:             #8  5.532 253.66                        #9  5.536 266.42

Doushgounian nails the tree with a stellar eight light and gets lucky as Westerfield goes red. He has issues early and shuts off.

Marshall will keep lane choice in round two.

3:15 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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