Mon, 07 Sep 2026, 12:23 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

INDIANAPOLIS - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  744 Shane Westerfield                     238 Mick Steele                  
E3   ****WINNER****  0.032  5.496 264.75                     0.058  5.517 263.10
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B McCosh    ) 0.039  5.493 262.44      (D Gordon    ) 0.044  5.493 258.67
E1    (M Billington) 0.053  5.530 261.22                     0.151  5.443 259.56
 Qualified:             #5  5.565 262.39                        #1  5.494 254.71

12:12 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 30.11 inches, adjusted altitude 2,503 feet.

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

Westerfield gets the advantage off of the line and extends his lead to the 330 foot mark. Steele starts making up ground but runs out of race track.

Shane Westerfield's incremental margins: 60ft(0.100), 330 ft(0.115), 660ft(0.078), 1,000ft(0.052). MOV: 0.0478 seconds (approximately 18 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Sean Bellemeur                          5 Annie Whiteley               
E3   ****WINNER****  0.027  5.498 265.33                     0.098  5.467 264.55
 Prior rounds:
E2    (C Foster    ) 0.028  5.468 265.27      (C Foster    ) 0.082  5.508 264.55
E1    (K Smith     ) 0.027  5.510 263.51      (P Esz       ) 0.092  5.519 264.29
 Qualified:             #2  5.518 264.75                        #6  5.577 264.13

Bellemeur is 4 - 2 against Whiteley in prior events.

Bellemeur gets out of the gate first, then Whiteley starts making up ground. Whiteley makes her quickest pass of the weekend but couldn't reel in Bellemeur. Bellemeur takes the stripe with the holeshot win.

Sean Bellemeur's incremental margins: 60ft(0.061), 330 ft(0.061), 660ft(0.055), 1,000ft(0.047). MOV: 0.0404 seconds (approximately 16 feet).

Sean Bellemeur's incremental times: 60ft-0.965 sec., 330ft-2.477, 660ft-3.653/210.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.651.
Annie Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.467, 660ft-3.637/212.46 mph, 1,000ft-4.627.

Bellemeur is going to his 70th career final round.

Westerfield will have lane choice over Bellemeur in the final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink