Sat, Oct 31, 08:49 PM BAYTOWN - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Michael L. Jex Many Teams Improve In Good Conditions

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 2nd Annual Matco Tools Supernationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Cy Chesterman       5.788 252.73  Q   8 Todd Simpson        5.787 249.16
                  0.460 11.955  71.56 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.516  5.976 233.64

2:13 PM Chesterman shook very hard, then got almost sideways before finally lifting off the loud pedal.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Jackie Stidham      5.828 249.10  Q   7 Johnny Gray         5.785 246.84
 *****WINNER***** 0.479  5.792 248.61 E1                  0.520  5.953 245.70

Johnny Gray got his Nitro Funny Car license in Dallas on Monday, he ran 5.29 at 294 miles per hour. Johnny plans on running a limited nitro schedule for 1999.

Stidham improves, Johnny doesn't, the difference is 72 feet at the finish line.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Fran Monaghan       5.883 247.11  Q   4 John Weaver         5.747 248.20
                  0.565  5.813 249.37 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.488  5.739 247.32

John Weaver's pit crew is complete for the Halloween holiday, we have a clown guiding John back to the starting line after his burnout. Nice Rainbow hairdo Mr Clown.....

Not a wisp of tire shake in either lane, both drivers improve over their qualifying times, but it's clown company with the win and Monagham goes home.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Bob Newberry        5.690 253.02  Q  16 Ron Morrison        6.086 231.83
 *****WINNER***** 0.563  5.696 253.30 E1                  0.655  6.284 225.67

Morrison shook the tires at the starting line, while Newberry runs down the middle of the left lane into round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Chuck Cheeseman     5.735 249.51  Q  14 Tate Branch         5.973   0.00
 *****WINNER***** 0.535  5.755 248.89 E1                  0.473  5.949 244.03

Branch never really got things sorted out this weekend, he usually can run with the likes of Chuck Cheeseman. The middle of the track once again proved too tricky for him to handle, the car moved left and right several times.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Pat Austin          5.755 250.20  Q  12 Danny Townsend      5.883 249.16
 *****WINNER***** 0.495  5.727 252.88 E1                  0.491  5.882 248.00

Pat's ProMax Performance Funny Car has great power, but they have had trouble with consistency with the Chevy Style powerplant.

This run was smooth and straight, the car moving around only slightly during each gear shift.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Paul Gill           5.776 250.76  Q  11 Steve Gasparrelli   5.850 247.18
 *****WINNER***** 0.449  5.905 247.32 E1                  0.449  5.913 242.84

Steve Gasparrelli started the year as a rookie, and his driving at times showed it. This weekend he looks like an old shoe in the drivers department, doing a great job.

Steve had to bump the steering to the right twice on this run to stay away from the centerline. That opened the door for Gill, who wins by less than a fender.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Vern Moats          5.692 253.02  Q  15 Carnie Fryfogle     6.027 239.10
                  0.590  5.889 246.71 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.442  6.030 241.67

Can you spell major hole-shot? Moats had his hands full, the car shook, and veered towards the centerline, but he just didn't have enough racetrack to catch Fryfogle.

In Round two Newberry will face Simpson, Weaver will battle Pat Austin, Fryfogle will race Stidham, and Cheeseman will face Gill.