Sat, 10 Nov 2001, 02:16 PM POMONA 3 - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 37th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Bucky Austin        5.713 250.60  Q   14 Dennis Taylor       5.847 243.28
 *****WINNER***** 0.529  5.711 251.91  E1                  0.482  5.777 245.09

10:39 AM Federal-Mogul Funny Cars begin their first round of eliminations. Taylor makes his best run of the weekend, has a better light, and still can't take out Bucky.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Marc White          5.696 250.37  Q   15 Scott Palmer        5.852 245.72
 *****WINNER***** 0.526  5.736 250.88  E1                  0.501  5.854 246.08

White was one of the two cars to get into the sixties this weekend when he qualified with a 5.696. White gets loose and is all over his lane but still gets the win.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Jay Payne           5.652 253.75  Q   16 Mert Littlefield    5.861 242.98
 *****WINNER***** 0.566  5.641 253.47  E1                  0.509  5.785 245.99

Payne is the other car in the sixties and comes in as the #1 qualifier. Payne was all over the lane after half track. How good is the Valvoline car? He still runs low ET of the weekend. Littlefield has a late chute and really buries his racer in the sand pit at the end of the track. It's going to take a few minutes to dig his car out of this one.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Tate Branch         5.833 247.57  Q    4 Steve Gasparrelli   5.719 250.55
                  0.476  5.935 201.91  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.478  5.697 254.52

About five minutes later the call goes out to fire the next pair. Even start but Gasparrelli begins to pull away at each marker. At about 1000 feet there is a wall of smoke from behind Branch's Avenger and he slows. Gasparrelli joins Payne and White in the sixties.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Doug Gordon         5.827 245.32  Q    5 Pat Austin          5.721 251.91
                  0.461  5.884 246.35  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.488  5.779 251.30

That clean up took just a few minutes and we're back in business. Two other drivers in this round ran 5.77 and lost. Not Pat Austin. He takes the win and will face Gasparrelli in the second round. He will not have lane choice in the pairing.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Bret Williamson     5.806 250.41  Q    6 Von Smith           5.731 252.05
                  0.516  5.713 250.88  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.493  5.680 251.06

Williamson makes his best run of the weekend. That's his good news. His bad news is that Smith also joins the sixty team. Smith will race Bucky next round with lane choice in hand.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Kebin Kinsley       5.805 247.66  Q    7 John Weaver         5.752 247.16
                  0.552  6.123 191.81  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.490  5.748 249.07

Weaver leaves on Kinsley and out runs him to the finish. Weaver will face White in the second round with White getting choice.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Vern Moats          5.787 246.53  Q    8 Steve Harker        5.783 249.81
                  0.527  6.035 243.11  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.514  5.802 247.16

Harker gets the win and the shot to take out Payne in the second round. Payne will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink