Sat, 12 Oct 2024, 13:01 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Kyle Smith                            744 Shane Westerfield            
E1                   0.037  9.493  94.15     ****WINNER****  0.024  5.489 265.49
 Qualified:            #11  5.525 258.99                        #6  5.500 266.92

11:15 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 50 percent, barometer 30.09 inches, adjusted altitude 2,551 feet.

Westerfield is 3 - 2 against Smith in prior events.

Westerfield gets out of the gate first and pulls away for the win. Smith rattles the tires early and gives up on the run.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7071 Hunter Jones                            9 Annie Whiteley               
E1                   0.027  5.544 265.02     ****WINNER****  0.061  5.477 268.29
 Qualified:            #14  5.555 263.54                        #3  5.490 268.18

Jones is 1 - 0 against Whiteley in prior events.

Jones gets out of the gate first but he can't hold off Whiteley. Whiteley makes her quickest pass of the weekend to take the win.

Hunter Jones' incremental times: 60ft-0.975 sec., 330ft-2.502, 660ft-3.683/209.18 mph, 1,000ft-4.691.

Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.473, 660ft-3.641/212.45 mph, 1,000ft-4.637.

Whiteley will have lane choice over Westerfield in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Sean Bellemeur                       2606 Mark Billington              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  5.439 269.14                     0.165  5.736 260.30
 Qualified:             #1  5.459 269.04                       #16  5.596 261.05

This is the first time Bellemeur and Billington have faced each other in eliminations.

Bellemeur gets the holeshot, makes his quickest pass of the weekend, and extends his lead all the way through the run. Billington has problems late in the run.

Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.442, 660ft-3.606/212.85 mph, 1,000ft-4.599.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   53 Christine Foster                      238 Mick Steele                  
E1                   0.103  8.725 116.86     ****WINNER****  0.172  5.490 267.35
 Qualified:            #15  5.583 263.17                        #2  5.461 263.47

This is the first time Foster and Steele have faced each other in eliminations.

Foster gets the holeshot but has traction problems and is off of the throttle early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Bob McCosh                              5 Matt Gill                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.517 267.28                     0.016  9.960 140.81
 Qualified:             #4  5.492 266.76                       #13  5.549 266.02

Gill is 3 - 1 against McCosh in prior events.

Gill gets the holeshot but has traction problems and is off off the throttle early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   32 Chris Foster                           10 Chip Beverett                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  5.508 267.43                     0.034  5.573 264.64
 Qualified:             #5  5.494 268.13                       #12  5.547 263.60

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

Beverett gets the holeshot but Foster reels him in just past the 1000 foot mark and pulls away for the win.

Chris Foster's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.044), 330 ft(-0.030), 660ft(-0.016), 1,000ft(-0.003). MOV: 0.0070 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

Foster will have lane choice over McCosh in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 750G Madison Gordon                         34 Phil Esz                     
E1                   0.095  5.536 266.46     ****WINNER****  0.036  5.485 264.52
 Qualified:             #8  5.503 267.51                        #9  5.517 263.85

Esz gets out of the gate first and pulls away for the win with his quickest pass of the weekend.

Phil Esz's incremental times: 60ft-0.931 sec., 330ft-2.444, 660ft-3.622/209.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.631.

Bellemeur will have lane choice over Esz in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Brian Hough                          5087 Jim Whiteley                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.014  5.529 264.64                     0.051  5.508 263.16
 Qualified:             #7  5.500 265.19                       #10  5.523 261.90

This is the first time Hough and Whiteley have faced each other in eliminations.

Hough gets the holeshot then Whitely goes around him at the 330 foot mark. hough is able to get back around him at half track and pulls away for the win.

Brian Hough's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.014), 330 ft(-0.004), 660ft(0.003), 1,000ft(0.011). MOV: 0.0160 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

Brian Hough's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.488, 660ft-3.667/210.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.676.

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.447, 660ft-3.633/209.16 mph, 1,000ft-4.650.

Steele will have lane choice over Hough in the next round.

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