Fri, 18 Sep 2026, 19:04 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MARTIN, Mich. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  744 Shane Westerfield                     331 Tony Bogolo                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.029  5.456 266.11                     0.034  5.528 261.93
 Qualified:             #4  5.507 266.43                        #7  5.588 260.42

Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 66 percent, barometer 30.18 inches, adjusted altitude 1,823 feet.

Westerfield is 3 - 0 against Bogolo in prior events.

Shane Westerfield is 95 - 27 in Rd. 1. All of Tony Bogolo's losses to Westerfield have been in Rd. 1.

Westerfield with the starting line advantage for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7797 Christopher Menapace                   34 Jesse Clark                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.162  5.542 263.93                     0.099 11.948 103.19
 Qualified:             #5  5.525 265.02                        #6  5.528 254.38

Chris Menapace is making his 2nd start. Jesse Clark is making his 5th start.

This is the first time Menapace and Clark have faced each other in eliminations.

Clark with the starting line advantage, but lost traction and Menapace; is straight down the groove for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
        Bye                                 238 Mick Steele                  
E1                                            ****WINNER****  0.077  5.432 261.93
 Qualified:                                                       #1  5.413 258.92

Mick Steele has qualified #1 at 3 of his 5 races this year.

Steele is straight down the groove with a clean pass and will face Menapace in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  207 Bruce Mullins                           1 Sean Bellemeur               
E1                   0.000  5.657 252.24     ****WINNER****  0.021  5.479 267.86
 Qualified:             #8  5.711 244.30                        #3  5.483 268.02

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

Mullins with a perfect light and makes his quickest pass of the day, but Bellemeur chased him down for the win. He will have lane choice over Westerfield in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Chris Foster                            6 Phil Esz                     
E1                   0.040  5.521 264.08     ****WINNER****  0.024  5.475 259.82
 Qualified:             #9 10.166  96.53                        #2  5.481 259.67

Esz is 1 - 0 against Foster in prior events.

Esz with a great light and his quickest pass of the event for the win. He will have a bye in the next round.