Sun, 3 Oct 2004, 11:33 AM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  738 Mike Bell                             312 Danny Townsend
E1                   0.070 14.453  60.35     ****WINNER****  0.055  6.596 153.95
 Qualified:             #8  5.654 250.46                        #9  5.670 255.97

Weather conditions: air temperature 53 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 29.49 inches, adjusted altitude 211 feet, track temperature 63 degrees.

Townsend was out of the gate first and then banged the blower just before half track, but coasted on through for the win. Bell was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off. Looks

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Cy Chesterman                           4 Bob Newberry
E1   ****WINNER****  0.065  5.610 251.53                     0.094  6.879 139.65
 Qualified:            #10  5.671 252.33                        #7  5.636 255.92

That was a long delay for the oil clean up in Bell's lane. These two swap lanes during the clean up. Chesterman with the starting line advantage and the win. Newberry lost traction right before half track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Steve Gasparrelli                       2 Bucky Austin
E1                   0.167  5.592 252.19     ****WINNER****  0.104  5.576 260.26
 Qualified:            #14  5.754 254.04                        #3  5.601 256.06

Austin with the starting line advantage and never looks back winning a great drag race here. Bucky Austin's MOV: 0.0791 seconds (approximately 29 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Tate Branch                            34 Marc White
E1                  -0.077 12.274  68.30     ****WINNER****  0.079  5.569 258.32
 Qualified:            #11  5.692 225.11                        #6  5.635 255.92

Branch is too quick on the tree. White with a great looking pass straight down Broadway with a pass that ties his career best speed mark. White will have lane choice over Austin in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   42 Jackie Stidham                         53 Vern Moats
E1   ****WINNER****  0.066  5.724 251.81                     0.140  5.677 250.04
 Qualified:             #5  5.628 255.63                       #12  5.735 248.93

Stidham with the starting line advantage and holds on for the hole shot win. Jackie Stidham's incremental margins: 60ft(0.097), 330 ft(0.023), 660ft(0.007), 1,000ft(0.017). MOV: 0.0272 seconds (approximately 10 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Doug Gordon                            36 Mick Snyder
E1                   0.057  5.726 249.81     ****WINNER****  0.066  5.625 255.63
 Qualified:            #13  5.741 249.53                        #4  5.610 257.83

Gordon with a slight starting starting line advantage, and has the lead until about 200 feet and then it was all Snyder. Snyder will have lane choice over Stidham in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  562 Kris Hool                              24 Paul Lee
E1                   0.023  8.500 107.75     ****WINNER****  0.037  5.593 257.04
 Qualified:            #15  5.794 251.53                        #2  5.574 259.16

Hool is out of the gate first, but by 100 feet it was all Lee with a grat looking pass to take the win. Lee will have lane choice over Chesterman.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Chuck Cheeseman                         5 Jay Payne
E1                   0.109 12.945  60.14     ****WINNER****  0.089  5.519 259.81
 Qualified:            #16  5.808 246.08                        #1  5.536 260.16

Payne with the starting line advantage and then blast on through the the 1320 with the quickest pass in Top Alcohol Funny for the win and lane choice over Townsend in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink