Sat, 09 Mar 2024, 18:13 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  404 Stan Sipos                              3 Bob McCosh                   
E1                   0.138  5.585 244.96     ****WINNER****  0.053  5.524 265.12
 Qualified:             #6  5.584 248.11                        #3  5.484 265.85

Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 77 percent, barometer 29.79 inches, adjusted altitude 2,343 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

This is the first time Sipos and McCosh have faced each other in eliminations.

McCosh with the starting line advantage and the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Chip Beverett                          34 Phil Esz                     
E1                   0.076  5.812 260.66     ****WINNER****  0.030  5.664 258.32
 Qualified:             #7  5.596 259.56                        #2  5.483 261.72

This is the first time Beverett and Esz have faced each other in eliminations.

Esz won the rain delayed Baby Gators last night. He is away first and never trails for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   16 Brian Gawlik                            2 Sean Bellemeur               
E1                  -0.007  5.609 260.11     ****WINNER****  0.032  5.474 264.18
 Qualified:             #8  5.609 259.86                        #1  5.441 265.64

Bellemeur is 2 - 0 against Gawlik in prior events.

Gawlik goes red to give Bellemeur the win. Bellemeur with nother great pass, low E.T. of the round. Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.936 sec., 330ft-2.447, 660ft-3.621/210.60 mph, 1,000ft-4.624.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1320 Wayne Morris                            7 Ulf Leanders                 
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.052  5.494 261.67
 Qualified:             #5  5.539 254.86                        #4  5.488 262.95

Leanders is 1 - 0 against Morris in prior events.

Morris broke before the burnout and Leanders with the freebie. He is straight down the groove for the win. He will give up lane choice to Bellemeur in the semifinal. Ulf Leanders' incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.447, 660ft-3.627/208.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.637.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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