Sun, 14 Nov 1999, 06:55 PM POMONA - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 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
   4 Melanie Troxel      5.470 254.86  Q    1 Mark Woods          5.363 253.47
   (G Ormsby    ) 0.471  5.564 254.09  E1   (C Bingham   ) 0.531  5.402 252.19
   (R Henkelman ) 0.450  5.538 257.09  E2   (R Wendland  ) 0.522  5.303 257.97
                  0.531  5.701 240.55  E3 *****WINNER***** 0.522  5.353 261.88

3:44 PM Woods needed a 5.353 or better to back up his stunning 5.303 as a national record. And he runs the required ET to the thousandth, so the ET record is now his.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Rick Santos         5.436 254.57  Q    2 Dave Hirata         5.378 269.08
   (M Strasburg ) 0.474  5.507 253.66  E1   (S Howard    ) 0.538  5.493 261.67
   (D Sheilds   ) 0.458  5.457 254.09  E2   (M Hentges   ) 0.501  5.383 267.64
 *****WINNER***** 0.449  5.468 245.63  E3                  0.321  5.371 267.27

The old record was 5.375, by the way, so Woods not only broke it, he destroyed it.

Hirata throws away a 5.37 on the redlight, but his speed is enough to back up his earlier 269.08 as a national record. Santos advances, losing lane choice to Woods in the final round.