Sat, 4 Nov 2000, 02:20 PM DALLAS-2 - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Michael L. Jex

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 15th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Chuck Cheeseman     5.704 255.68  Q   15 Todd Simpson        8.130 113.28
                  0.468  5.766 250.64  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.440  5.771 248.34

12:52 PM The clouds have gotten darker, fingers are crossed this weather window will continue. There are only fourteen cars here this weekend, both Paul Gill and Steve Gasparrelli did not return. There were scheduled to race each other, instead whoever wins the Moats and Shaver matchup will have a bye in round two. Both Simpson and Cheeseman rattled the tires at the launch, then went side-by-side all the way to the finish line. Simpson's better light was the difference,

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Randy Fleming       5.812 252.38  Q   12 Jackie Stidham      6.609 155.90
                  0.449  5.914 250.46  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.458  5.816 244.60

Fleming rattled the tires then short shifted to try and save the run, but it wasn't enough to get past Stidham.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Jay Payne           5.796 249.72  Q   13 Kirk Williams       7.899 125.09
 *****WINNER***** 0.483  5.962 230.45  E1                  0.000 No Time

Williams didn't return, so Payne will face Jackie Stidham in round two. On this run Payne's clutch wasn't set quite right, so Stidham will have lane choice in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Mert Littlefield    5.897 243.63  Q   10 Tate Branch         5.941 248.84
                  0.475  5.920 241.28  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.457  5.866 249.76

Branch motors on - he'll face Simpson in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Jason Rupert        5.928 236.96  Q    9 Todd Veney          5.930 247.70
 *****WINNER***** 0.492  5.890 235.39  E1                  0.508  6.034 215.82

Rupert's tuneup was more agressive than Veney's, and he drove it out further before hitting the shift button. All that became a 50-foot difference at the finish line.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Richard Shaver      5.997 242.63  Q    6 Vern Moats          5.853 250.78
 *****WINNER***** 0.799  6.454 180.96  E1                  0.000 No Time

Moats is a no-show. Shaver found both sides of the lane, coming --><-- that close to both the wall and the centerline on that run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Tony Bartone        5.664 254.33  Q   16 Scott Palmer       10.450  71.19
                  0.000  0.000   NS    E1 *****WINNER***** 0.533 11.511  66.99

Bartone decided not to make the trip back to Texas - the rumors are rampant here he will be racing with Jerry Toliver in Funny Car next year. Palmer shook the tires and lifted. In round two Palmer will race Rupert, Payne will go against Stidham, Simpson will race Branch, and Shaver will get a bye because both Gill and Gasparrelli did not return. 1:08 PM