Sat, 13 Nov 1999, 05:43 PM POMONA - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 35th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Russ Parker         5.749 247.20  Q    8 Steve Harker        5.749 251.30
                  0.480 12.435  77.67  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.513  5.752 250.41

2:17 PM This round is an announcer's nightmare, with Harker vs Parker, and later in the round it's Payne vs Swayne.

Parker launched, shook, and shut off. Harker didn't have a lot of clutch in the car on the top end, the RPMs skying a bit on him, but he got through the top end smoothly for an easy win.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Pete Swayne         5.770 250.18  Q    7 Jay Payne           5.736 250.09
                  0.539  5.737 250.18  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.436  5.816 253.61

Payne almost got the car upside down in the sand yesterday, but saved it. Here he deep-staged and used the holeshot to eke out the win by a margin of victory = 0.024 seconds (approximately 9 feet). The new Division 7 champion (Swayne) runs his best lap of the event and goes home early.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Tate Branch         5.837 247.70  Q    2 Pat Austin          5.657 253.42
                  0.482  5.989 245.90  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.479  5.727 249.81

Branch left with Austin, but Branch had to pedal to get out of shake and by then Austin was 0.2 seconds in the lead, stretching that for a margin of victory = 0.265 seconds (approximately 96 feet). Austin will have lane choice against Payne in round two.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Jason Rupert        5.854 246.30  Q    1 Fran Monaghan       5.628 254.52
                  0.534  6.868 141.18  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.498  5.770 248.66

Rupert's car headed for the 660-foot marker and he stayed with it as long as he could, but finally he had to lift to get the front wheels planted and steer away from the centerline. Monaghan advances, but loses lane choice to the Australian visitor, Harker, in round two.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Sam Blue            5.823 247.79  Q    3 Roger Bateman       5.660 253.66
 *****WINNER***** 0.506  5.745 249.90  E1                  0.510 10.113  84.48

Another international matchup, Bateman a Canadian. But this time the host wasn't as gracious as in the Parker vs Harker race, Bateman abandoning the run shortly after the launch, probably due to shake judging from the tire tracks. Blue appears to have his problems sorted out, making a nice lap for the win.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Bret Williamson     5.813 244.12  Q    4 John Weaver         5.667 246.53
                  0.521  5.905 244.03  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.484  5.756 249.81

Two Division 7 warriors squared off here, and the higher-qualified car (Weaver) ran true to form while Williamson skated around for the first half of the run.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Steve Gasparrelli   5.810 245.45  Q    5 Bucky Austin        5.722 251.81
                  0.503  6.736 142.90  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.506  5.719 250.04

Gasparrelli's first year behind the wheel came to an early end, something breaking around half track and raw fuel spewing from the headers. Austin made a good pass for the hot afternoon conditions, quick enough to take lane choice away from Weaver in round two.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Larry Miner         5.795 250.27  Q    6 John Hyland         5.726 249.63
 *****WINNER***** 0.471  5.892 246.84  E1                  0.488  9.328  89.94

Hyland launched with the front wheels in the air and the rear tires shaking, forcing him to shut it down very early in the run. Miner motored on for the victory, losing lane choice to Blue in round two.