Sat, 13 Nov 1999, 05:27 PM POMONA - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Michael L. Jex Big Number For Woods

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragster 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 David Wells         5.571 254.76  Q    8 Rob Wendland        5.544 255.53
                        No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 0.468  5.583 253.14

1:55 PM Federal-Mogul Dragster Eliminations gets underway with the sunniest and warmest conditions of the weekend. Wells clinched the Division Five championship in Phoenix.

Well's must have had the clutch too tight, the car dragged forward, first turning off the top bulb with a deep stage, then the redlight. He gets no time as the tree had not been activated. For icing on the cake he popped a burst panel at the top end of the track.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Darryl Hitchman     5.571 236.75  Q    7 Mark Hentges        5.541 252.14
                  0.525  5.658 228.15  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.484  5.561 250.88

Hitchman must have lifted early, his speed was 203 mph at halftrack.... Hentges got a better light, an important point if you are going to win against the Nitro diggers.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Dale Carlson        5.506 256.99  Q   11 Duane Shields       5.577 253.56
                  0.490  5.690 218.16  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.454  5.648 247.66

Carlson was gaining on Shields at the top end, but the burst panel let go, ending his weekend early.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Mike Strasburg      5.678 247.70  Q    3 Rick Santos         5.436 254.57
                  0.467  5.688 240.34  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.474  5.507 253.66

The last time these two faced each other in Salt Lake City Mike won when Santos blew the engine, transmission and just about everything else after a driveline failure. The winner of this race will face Duane Shields in round two tomorrow. Both cars were moving around at the top end of the track, left to right to left, but Santos had the performance to win by over 60 feet. He'll have lane choice against Shields tomorrow.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Darren Nicholson    5.641 251.58  Q    5 Rick Henkelman      5.470 250.41
                  0.492  5.580 250.18  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.545  5.485 250.32

Rick said last night that son Brandon will drive next year with Dana Hopewell tuning the car. Henkleman passed Nicholson just past the eighth mile marker, then inched forward from there to win by less than half a car length. Good Drag Race!

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Gary Ormsby         5.667 244.69  Q    4 Melanie Troxel      5.470 254.86
                  0.469  5.756 236.63  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.471  5.564 254.09

Two of the best and most marketable drivers in the category face off here. Gary's plans for next year came to light yesterday when John Force announced he will drive the R&D and test Funny Car for team Castrol next year. Troxel is one of the best in the class, the future looks busy and bright for the In-N-Out Burgers team too.

Troxel easily defeats Ormsby, but lost lane choice against fellow Afuel Dragster driver Rick Henkleman in round two tomorrow.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Shelly Howard       5.714 245.49  Q    2 Dave Hirata         5.378 269.08
                        No Time        E1 *****WINNER***** 0.538  5.493 261.67

The winner will race Mark Hentges tomorrow, his 5.561 mark the time they need to better for lane choice. Howard staged pretty early, and sat there for a few seconds before Hirata went into the staging beams. At the start Howard lost a blower belt almost immediately, then watched helplessly while Hirata thundered down the right lane.

The snap-crackle-pop of his afuel dragster is quite different from the others, the motor sounding smoother with a higher idle than the other nitro diggers in the class. He will have lane choice against Hentges tomorrow.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Cliff Bingham       5.728 247.38  Q    1 Mark Woods          5.363 253.47
                  0.458 10.123  85.72  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.531  5.402 252.19

Bingham had trouble getting the RPM's where he wanted, then had trouble just off the concrete pad. Wood's run is amazing - he clearly had at least one hole out at the top end of the track and still runs in the 40's. Wow. Woods will race Rob Wendland in the "other" In-N-Out Burger machine tomorrow. 2:18 PM