Sat, 20 Oct 2001, 04:22 PM DALLAS - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 16th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Jay Payne           5.632 252.38  Q   16 Steve Burck         6.329 223.99
 *****WINNER***** 0.527  5.657 248.27  E1                  0.492  6.610 179.03

Burck out of the gate first, but that was the only lead he had as Payne had the difference made up by 60 feet. Payne got out of the groove, but stayed with it to run another 5.60.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Pat Austin          5.723 247.72  Q   14 Jimmy Jones         5.982 242.98
 *****WINNER***** 0.492  5.682 252.24  E1                  0.480  7.142 143.67

Jones did his job on the tree, but Austin has the difference made up by 60 feet. Austin with his quickest pass of the weekend.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Richard Shaver      6.091 241.67  Q    2 Von Smith           5.718 250.97
                  0.562  5.926 246.30  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.467  5.680 252.80

Smith strapped a light on Shaver and never looked back as he runs the second quickest pass of this round and his best pass of the weekend.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Marc White          5.740 250.90  Q   13 Scott Palmer        5.913 245.09
 *****WINNER***** 0.483  5.720 250.41  E1                  0.170 26.242 123.22

Palmer left way early turning on the red light, he then launched into some big time tire shake. White with a good clean pass, this too his quickest pass of the weekend. He will give up lane choice to Newberry.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Bob Newberry        5.751 251.67  Q   12 Jackie Stidham      5.864 243.04
 *****WINNER***** 0.568  5.714 252.10  E1                  0.460  5.838 242.78

Stidham did his job on the starting line and had Newberry covered until right before the finish line. That is when the hard charging Newberry passed him for the win, margin of victory = 0.016 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Todd Simpson        5.767 247.32  Q   10 Kirk Williams       5.824 246.44
                  0.444  6.608 152.80  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.460  5.818 248.75

Simpson went in deep and then lost a blower belt and an engine putting oil out on the track. Williams with his best pass of the weekend to take the win light he will give up lane choice to Von Smith in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Tate Branch         5.751 247.72  Q   11 Cy Chesterman       5.854 250.20
 *****WINNER***** 0.479  5.822 245.36  E1                  0.487 12.681  65.54

Branch out of the gate first and never looked back to take the win. He will give up lane choice to Austin. Chesterman launched into severe tire shake.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Kebin Kinsley       5.816 244.63  Q    8 Steve Harker        5.815 244.89
                  0.483  5.833 245.43  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.508  5.800 249.51

Kinsley is out of the gate first, but Harker has the power to chase him down and take the win. Margin of victory = 0.008 seconds (approximately 3 feet). Harker will give up lane choice to Payne in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink