Sun, 31 Oct 1999, 01:40 PM HOUSTON - Pro Stock Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan Gotta Run Eighties to Win

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock at the 3rd annual Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions:

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 V. Gaines           6.909 198.76  Q    9 Jim Yates           6.906 199.88
                  0.346  6.922 200.38  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.547  6.899 199.43

12:11 PM We should see some impressive performance numbers this round. It's cool and crisp out there, the air relatively dry for Houston, and there's a stiff tailwind blowing down the track.

Yates gets an easy win here with his best ET of the weekend against Gaines' red bulb and 200 mph speed.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Richie Stevens      6.912 198.20  Q    7 Mark Pawuk          6.900 198.55
                  0.480  6.872 199.85  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.467  6.857 200.86

These two are noted for great reaction times, Pawuk with a 2-1 edge in their 1999 meetings. And "Cowboy" makes it 3-1 here in a great drag race, the margin of victory = 0.028 seconds (approximately 8 feet). This race missed "quickest ever side-by-side" by just .001 seconds.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Allen Johnson       6.915 198.61  Q    6 Tom Martino         6.892 199.88
                  0.466  6.920 199.85  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.499  6.848 201.13

AJ won the staging duel, but couldn't run the number and Martino wins by a margin of victory = 0.039 seconds (approximately 11 feet) with a track record speed.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Rickie Smith        6.918 198.47  Q    5 Kurt Johnson        6.890 200.71
 *****WINNER***** 0.484  6.886 199.82  E1                  0.512  6.956 200.71

KJ's handling problems bit him again, the car turning sideways on the launch, and "Tricky Rickie" won this one easily, by a margin of victory = 0.098 seconds (approximately 29 feet).

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Troy Coughlin       6.920 199.29  Q    4 Mike Edwards        6.889 198.79
 *****WINNER***** 0.468  6.859 200.50  E1                  0.460  6.897 199.85

Edwards got the holeshot, but Troy ran him down on the top end to win by a margin of victory = 0.030 seconds (approximately 9 feet) and earn lane choice against Rickie Smith next round.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 John Nobile         6.920 199.05  Q    3 Warren Johnson      6.886 200.95
                  0.392  6.945 199.49  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.515  6.865 202.36

These two have met five times this year, WJ winning four of the five. Make that five of six, WJ winning with the fastest speed ever, already backed up as a national record by his qualifying speed. But he loses lane choice to Martino in round two. Go figger.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Jeg Coughlin        6.921 199.37  Q    2 Don Beverley        6.885 198.85
 *****WINNER***** 0.489  6.857 200.86  E1                  0.550  6.883 199.88

Beverley backs up his qualifying ET, but loses the drag race, Coughlin with the holeshot and a quicker ET. Pawuk will have lane choice against Jeg in round two, the two with identical ETs and speeds, Pawuk running it first to get the tiebreaker.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Mike Thomas         6.925 198.00  Q    1 Bruce Allen         6.839 199.64
 *****WINNER***** 0.441  6.888 199.64  E1                  0.493  6.945 200.17

Thomas caught Allen snoozing and then outran the number one qualifier to advance with lane choice against Yates in round two.