Sun, 12 Nov 2000, 07:22 PM POMONA-2 - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragster at the 36th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Brandon Henkelman   5.544 255.97  Q    2 Dave Hirata         5.448 264.65
   (M Hentges   ) 0.513  5.521 260.36  E1   (T Meredyk   ) 0.537  5.682 254.76
                  0.516  5.631 254.66  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.462  5.543 265.43

4:02 PM For the first time today we see the Federal-Mogul Dragsters. They managed to get their first round out of the way on Saturday before the rains came. Hirata nailed Henkelman to the tree. To make matters worse there was raw fuel coming out of the right bank of the Henkelman engine.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Darren Nicholson    5.590 251.06  Q    3 Bruce Bowler        5.452 254.57
   (M Strasburg ) 0.441  5.576 253.80  E1   (S Cantrell  ) 0.514  5.499 260.86
 *****WINNER***** 0.282  6.390 150.82  E2                  0.027 12.613  71.70

Bowler two stepped the launch and his weekend was over. Nicholson reacted to the sound and came very close to crossing the centerline just after half track. He gathered the car and made it to the finish line, but not under power. Hirata will have lane choice in the semifinal round.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 David Baca          5.472 258.42  Q    4 Gary Ormsby Jr      5.459 258.81
   (J Shoemaker ) 0.525  5.287 270.64  E1   (S Federlin  ) 0.507  5.456 240.51
                  0.550  5.634 259.56  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.464  5.540 235.27

That was down right ugly. Baca struggled and labored all the way to the finish. Ormsby was throwing a rooster tail of something into the air as he went down track. It must have been fuel as they fire the next pair immediately.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Rick Santos         5.373 261.32  Q    9 Steve Faria         5.577 252.90
   (K Nuckols   ) 0.484  5.370 256.99  E1   (D Shields   ) 0.504  5.460 259.46
 *****WINNER***** 0.491  5.365 261.67  E2                  0.506  5.453 260.16

Santos rattled the tires very hard at the hit and still manages to set low et of the round. Faria made a good pass but it was the world champ by a big margin at the finish. Santos will have lane choice over Ormsby in the next round.