Sun, 13 Oct 2002, 02:19 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 17th 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 Von Smith           5.644 254.95  Q    8 Jackie Stidham      5.760 248.20
   (K Kinsley   ) 0.497  5.694 253.02  E1   (M Littlefiel) 0.453  5.817 243.50
 *****WINNER***** 0.471  5.594 257.28  E2                  0.447  5.680 251.11

1:04 PM Smith is last off the line but drives by Stidham before they reach the sixty-foot mark.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Bob Newberry        5.660 253.09  Q    7 Marc White          5.749 249.58
   (J Jones     ) 0.519  5.695 251.11  E1   (K Williams  ) 0.427  5.814 246.44
                  0.527  5.697 214.28  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.451  5.658 253.66

White gets a big jump off the line but Newberry starts reeling him. Newberry continues to close the gap until just past the 1000-foot mark, then the engine goes silent.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Steve Gasparrelli   5.671 254.02  Q    6 Tate Branch         5.741 247.72
   (S Griboski  ) 0.485  5.717 251.88  E1   (J Patton    ) 0.466  5.771 248.82
 *****WINNER***** 0.466  5.625 256.84  E2                  0.488  5.668 253.02

Gasparrelli gets out of the groove early, drifts toward the wall, then gets it back in the groove to take the win. He will have lane choice over White in the semi-finals.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Jay Payne           5.686 254.95  Q   12 Steve Harker        5.781 251.11
   (C Chesterman) 0.438  5.726 254.23  E1   (V Moats     ) 0.557  5.786 249.58
 *****WINNER***** 0.465  5.638 256.41  E2                  0.494  5.684 251.04

Payne gets the advantage off the line and extends his lead at every incremental. He will give up lane choice to Smith in round three.