Sun, 10 Mar 2024, 13:51 PM Pro Modified Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Modified 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
  212 Stan Shelton                         1955 Tony Wilson                  
E1                   0.022  6.595 212.46     ****WINNER****  0.036  6.288 218.19
 Qualified:             #9  5.749 246.17                        #8  5.747 245.76

Weather conditions: air temperature 65 degrees, relative humidity 62 percent, barometer 30.02 inches, adjusted altitude 642 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Wilson is 2 - 0 against Shelton in prior events.

shelton with the starting line advantage, but started to shake and pedals it. wilson also with a pedal job and gets it to hook up better for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  269 Billy Banaka                          168 Ken Quartuccio               
E1                   0.006  5.774 249.30     ****WINNER****  0.036  5.703 250.37
 Qualified:            #10  5.763 248.61                        #7  5.743 247.43

This is the first time Banaka and Quartuccio have faced each other in eliminations.

Banaka with a great light, but Quartuccio has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trails from there on for the win. He makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3276 Scott Wildgust                       6911 Mike Thielen                 
E1                   0.014  9.821  90.03     ****WINNER****  0.041  5.713 246.17
 Qualified:            #16  5.812 247.70                        #1  5.688 252.10

Wildgust with a great light, but loses traction right at the hit and clicks it off as the car is sideways.

Thielen is straight down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over Wilson in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  225 Kevin Rivenbark                      4000 Jason Scruggs                
E1                   0.061  7.368 143.03     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.833 247.79
 Qualified:            #15  5.795 243.59                        #2  5.693 250.88

This is the first time Rivenbark and Scruggs have faced each other in eliminations.

Scruggs with the starting line advantage and the win. He started to lose traction and pedaled it before half track. He will give up lane choice to Quartuccio in the next round.

Rivenbark with tire shake and clicks it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  205 Lyle Barnett                         4334 Mason Wright                 
E1                   0.013  5.787 246.26     ****WINNER****  0.041  5.719 249.07
 Qualified:            #13  5.789 243.90                        #4  5.724 247.97

This is the first time Barnett and Wright have faced each other in eliminations.

Barnett with a great light, but Wright has the difference made up by 300 feet and never trails from there on for the win. Wright with his quickest and fastest pass of the event for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  203 Jose Gonzalez                        1590 Dwayne Wolfe                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.000  7.152 152.83                    -0.012  5.691 253.37
 Qualified:            #11  5.767 249.44                        #6  5.733 250.60

Gonzalez is 1 - 0 against Wolfe in prior events.

wolfe turns on the red light to give Gonzalez the win, who has a perfect light. Gonzalez with shake and clicks it off.

Wolfe with his career quickest and fastest pass in the losing effort. He has the quickest pass of the this round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 C270 JR Gray Jr.                          6280 Justin Bond                  
E1                   0.038  6.274 243.77     ****WINNER****  0.037  5.653 251.67
 Qualified:            #14  5.795 251.86                        #3  5.703 246.53

Bond with a tick on the tree and the win. Bond with the quickest pass of the round for the win. He will have lane choice over Gonzalez in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 Mike Castellana                         3 Kris Thorne                  
E1                   0.025  9.507  93.70     ****WINNER****  0.032  5.768 249.90
 Qualified:            #12  5.783 246.66                        #5  5.726 250.23

Thorne is 1 - 0 against Castellana in prior events.

Castellana with the starting line advantage, but is real loose right at the hit and clicks it off.

Thorne kept it hooked up and is straight down the groove for the win. He will give up lane choice to Wright in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

E-mail rick@fastnews.net for information about supporting these reports.