Sat, Oct 24, 08:41 PM ENNIS - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Ed Dykes

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 13th annual NHRA Revell Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Todd Paton          5.795 250.00  Q   8 Pat Austin          5.774 251.53
 *****WINNER***** 0.445  5.823 247.86 E1                  0.426  6.297 178.85

3:13 PM and we start the F-M floppers under clear skies, mid-seventies. Austin gets loose right at the start, and skates around until he clicks it at 800'.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Chuck Cheeseman     5.732 247.72  Q  13 John Lawson         5.891 198.58
                  0.453  6.469 163.54 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.490  5.795 248.07

Cheeseman is hobbled by tire shake, he pedals then the car gets very close the centerline and he's forced to throw in the towel.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Tate Branch         5.909 244.89  Q   2 Marc White          5.655 246.23
 *****WINNER***** 0.403  6.009 242.00 E1                  0.445  6.136 233.40

Lots of bouncing and shaking going on here, both lanes. They were both on and off the gas, but it was all Branch from half track on.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Paul Gill           5.654 254.09  Q  16 Fran Monaghan       5.971 242.71
 *****WINNER***** 0.523  5.717 251.60 E1                  0.485  5.860 247.59

Gill overcame the starting line advantage by the 330' mark, then had to pedal the car to stay off the wall at halftrack. He managed to manhandle it back into the center of the lane and motored on to the win, just like the #1 qualifier is supposed to do..

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Todd Simpson        5.903 242.13  Q   3 John Weaver         5.684 248.34
                  0.543  5.827 247.72 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.477  5.728 245.63

This one looked a lot closer than the numbers indicate. Lots of bouncing bodies in both lanes, but they were welded together all the way.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Steve Gasparrelli   5.857 235.54  Q   5 Jackie Stidham      5.764 246.98
 *****WINNER***** 0.466  5.813 246.30 E1                  0.541  5.800 247.30

The closest race of the round, here, just 0.062 seconds apart at the stripe, about a car-length.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Doug Gordon         5.831 246.50  Q   6 Cy Chesterman       5.765 251.88
 *****WINNER***** 0.443  5.917 245.63 E1                  0.434  9.336  91.89

Chesterman shakes and then spins the tires at the 300' mark, the while smoke trailing as he helplessly watches Gordon drive away.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Johnny Gray         5.800 248.89  Q   7 Pete Swayne         5.771 249.51
                  0.521  5.758 249.58 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.484  5.775 250.06

Gray was 0.022 quicker to 60', so he made up a lot of Swayne's headstart right there. From there on it was a drag race, both cars running equal numbers to the finish. The margin was very close, 0.020 seconds, or just 7 feet. So it's Goodwin and Swayne on to round two... and that's the last pair.