Sun, Feb 7, 05:13 PM POMONA - Pro Stock Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green Upset, Upset, We've Got An Upset

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Pro Stock at the 39th annual NHRA AutoZone Winternationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Jeg Coughlin        6.943 198.06  Q   3 George Marnell      6.932 198.12
   (R Smith     ) 0.441  7.026 198.03 E1   (R Patrick   ) 0.485  6.972 197.42
 *****WINNER***** 0.421  6.993 197.57 E2                  0.488  6.977 196.99

1:57 PM and we start the round with a holeshot win, Coughlin making the front end repairs in plenty of time to come back and take this round. The margin here was 0.051 seconds, or about 14 and a half feet.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Troy Coughlin       6.971 197.77  Q  12 Steve Schmidt       6.964 196.74
   (G Anderson  ) 0.446  7.067 197.42 E1   (M Trumble   ) 0.489  6.969 196.50
 *****WINNER***** 0.422  7.087 196.13 E2                  0.509  7.006 195.99

And another holeshot, these Coughlin kids are absolutely deadly on the starting line. This was a big one, Schmidt leaving way behind the yellow car, and still the margin at the stripe was only 0.006 seconds, or barely 2 feet.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 John Nobile         6.956 198.50  Q   2 Kurt Johnson        6.925 200.02
   (R Krisher   ) 0.466  6.987 197.83 E1   (R Franks    ) 0.463  6.938 200.11
                  0.454  7.004 197.48 E2 *****WINNER***** 0.448  6.980 198.93

Kurt got the holeshot here and never looked back, winning this one by 0.030 seconds, or just under nine feet.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Jim Yates           6.955 197.86  Q   1 Warren Johnson      6.888 200.95
   (M Pawuk     ) 0.443  6.970 197.10 E1   (D Alderman  ) 0.476  6.930 200.00
 *****WINNER***** 0.463  6.970 196.27 E2                  0.487  6.963 198.85

Yates put 0.02 in the bank right off the bat, and then he stayed just ahead of WJ's Firebird to the finish, winning by 0.017 seconds or barely five feet. We heard a loud 'pop' from one of the cars on the top end, about 1000', that may have been part of the problem for the #1 qualifier. That's the final pair of the round...