Sun, 14 Nov 1999, 05:36 PM POMONA - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan How Low Can He Go?

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 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
   8 Rob Wendland        5.544 255.53  Q    1 Mark Woods          5.363 253.47
   (D Wells     ) 0.468  5.583 253.14  E1   (C Bingham   ) 0.531  5.402 252.19
                  0.451  5.605 254.52  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.522  5.303 257.97

1:49 PM Woods elected to run first in the round - with low ET of the previous round he had the first pick. That gives his team the longest to turn the car for the next round, but means they don't get to see any other similar cars run before them. The number-eight qualifier falls to the quickest run in history, too quick for Woods' prior 5.363 to serve as a backup for a national ET record (he needs a 5.353 or better).

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Duane Sheilds       5.577 253.56  Q    3 Rick Santos         5.436 254.57
   (D Carlson   ) 0.454  5.648 247.66  E1   (M Strasburg ) 0.474  5.507 253.66
                  0.497  5.660 249.76  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.458  5.457 254.09

Sheilds was all over the lane for the first 330 feet, but it probably didn't matter, Santos once again demonstrating his ability to drive through shake without losing momentum. The margin of victory = 0.242 seconds (approximately 89 feet).

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Mark Hentges        5.541 252.14  Q    2 Dave Hirata         5.378 269.08
   (D Hitchman  ) 0.484  5.561 250.88  E1   (S Howard    ) 0.538  5.493 261.67
                  0.450  5.723 207.94  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.501  5.383 267.64

Hentges' car had a couple dead cylinders from the beginning, the car just not responding well while Hirata's car made a hard run, even after dropping a couple cylinders on the top end. Apparently Hentges' problems went beyond the "dropped cylinder" stage, the Safety Safari going to work in the top half of the left lane. Hirata will have lane choice against Santos in the semifinals.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Melanie Troxel      5.470 254.86  Q    5 Rick Henkelman      5.470 250.41
   (G Ormsby    ) 0.471  5.564 254.09  E1   (D Nicholson ) 0.545  5.485 250.32
 *****WINNER***** 0.450  5.538 257.09  E2                  0.555  9.674  83.01

Two A-Fuel cars paired up here to close the round. Both cars shook on the launch, both skating toward the centerline. Troxel drove through it, Henkelman slowed and coasted down the strip. Troxel will face the A-Fuel car of Woods in the semifinals, Woods with lane choice after posting that outrageous 5.303 elapsed time.