Sat, Nov 14, 06:00 PM POMONA - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragster at the 34th annual NHRA Winston Finals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Dale Carlson        5.604 248.55  Q   9 Jay Payne           5.614 250.48
                  0.469  9.732  85.25 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.457  5.709 248.75

2:19 PM Payne is running his last race in Federal-Mogul Dragster this weekend, making a move to a Camaro-bodied Federal-Mogul Funny Car next year. Here he makes a nice run to advance to round two, Carlson with a loud POP! from the supercharger before going 200 feet.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Cliff Bingham       5.647 247.93  Q   7 Darren Nicholson    5.594 254.95
 *****WINNER***** 0.466  5.658 251.11 E1                  0.445  5.733 244.43

Good drag race! Nicholson got a small starting line advantage, but Bingham made it up to win by about 20 feet when Nicholson couldn't repeat his qualifying performance.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Darryl Hitchman     5.551 251.95  Q  11 Mark Hentges        5.680 248.07
                  0.524 (Broke)       E1 *****WINNER***** 0.487  5.612 247.66

Hitchman's car drifted steadily to the right, taking out the 660-foot reflectors and DQ'ing the run. Nice effort by Hentges, stepping up a bunch from his qualifying run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Melanie Troxel      5.698 245.29  Q   3 Rick Santos         5.492 255.68
                  0.631  5.915 189.83 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.512  5.543 251.46

Troxel's car went into tire shake right off the line and then developed a severe case of the Yee-Haa disease on the top end, swerving first toward the wall and then the centerline before she shut it down. Santos made a pretty pass, the car on a rope from A to B, earning lane choice against Hentges in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 John Costanza       5.540 245.90  Q  12 Steve Faria         5.687 239.36
                  0.536  5.650 246.50 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.433  5.650 245.90

Faria took a tenth of a second advantage at the start and held it all the way to the other end.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Shane Gay           5.503 250.97  Q  13 Mike Strasburg      5.693 249.16
 *****WINNER***** 0.461  5.505 254.66 E1                  0.476 11.833  63.73

Strasburg went into severe tire shake almost immediately. No problems in Gay's lane, a very nice pass, virtually duplicating his qualifying run. That gives him lane choice over Faria in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Mark Woods          5.484 248.13  Q  15 Duane Shields       5.783 237.90
 *****WINNER***** 0.485  5.564 246.64 E1                  0.383  5.799 238.53

Woods gets a gift here, advancing with lane choice against Bingham in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Rick Henkelman      5.411 260.49  Q  16 Steve Federlin      5.792 243.57
 *****WINNER***** 0.505  5.437 253.80 E1                  0.452  5.830 212.76

Henkelman's car is awesome - with one hole out, he still overcomes a huge holeshot for the win - and lane choice against Payne in round two.