Sat, 12 Oct 2002, 07:41 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 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
  13 Cy Chesterman       5.790 249.30  Q    4 Jay Payne           5.686 254.95
                  0.452  5.771 249.86  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.438  5.726 254.23

6:12 PM Payne gets the jump off the line and extends his lead at every incremental.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Steve Harker        5.781 251.11  Q    5 Vern Moats          5.740 250.06
 *****WINNER***** 0.557  5.786 249.58  E1                  0.000 No Data

Moats stages, can't hold the car back and rolls the beams. Harker goes to round two, giving up lane choice to Payne.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  18 Kebin Kinsley       5.990 232.43  Q    1 Von Smith           5.644 254.95
                  0.488  6.260 177.37  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.497  5.694 253.02

Kinsley got in as an alternate when Taylor couldn't make eliminations. He gets a slight jump off the line but Smith caught him by the sixty-foot mark and drove away.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Jimmy Jones         5.897 243.77  Q    2 Bob Newberry        5.660 253.09
                  0.505  7.077 140.60  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.519  5.695 251.11

Jones gets out of the groove, almost crosses the center-line around half-track and he finally shuts down.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Steve Gasparrelli   5.671 254.02  Q   17 Steve Griboski      5.976 237.71
 *****WINNER***** 0.485  5.717 251.88  E1                  0.478  5.925 225.05

Gasparrelli is a little behind off the line, reels Griboski in just past the sixty-foot mark and drives away. Griboski stayed in it until just before the finish-line, then a flash came from under the car and the blower belt came off.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 John Patton         5.778 248.27  Q    6 Tate Branch         5.741 247.72
                  0.520  5.821 245.83  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.466  5.771 248.82

Branch was moving around all over the track, stayed with it and went on for the win. He will give up lane choice to Gasparrelli in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Kirk Williams       5.768 251.25  Q    7 Marc White          5.749 249.58
                  0.417  5.840 247.66  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.427  5.814 246.44

Williams gets the hole-shot, stays in front until half-track, then White drives around for the win. White will give up lane choice to Newberry in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Mert Littlefield    5.767 243.83  Q    8 Jackie Stidham      5.760 248.20
                  0.495  7.852 114.98  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.453  5.817 243.50

Littlefield gets about 400 feet out and the engine goes silent. i'm not sure why, maybe a blower belt. Stidham makes a decent pass but will lose lane choice to Smith in round two.