Sat, 28 Oct 2000, 03:54 PM HOUSTON-2 - Federal-Mogul Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Funny Car at the 4th annual Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Richard Shaver      5.891 246.75  Q    4 Pat Austin          5.681 253.04
                  0.533  5.954 233.60  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.475  5.678 254.90

3:16 PM It's nice to see full 16-car ladders in both of the Federal-Mogul categories for a change. Austin won the battle of the tree, showing how he earned the "Top Gun" nickname, then Shaver got out of the groove, over next to the wall, raising a cloud of dust - but he never touched the wall and completed the run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Scott Palmer        5.850 241.93  Q    5 Chuck Cheeseman     5.722 254.18
                  0.479  5.855 233.64  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.506  5.757 252.95

Palmer left first, but Cheeseman reeled him in and they ran side-by-side to half track, then Cheeseman started pulling away. Palmer's engine appeared to kick out a rod or two around the 1,000-foot mark and that was the end of his race, Cheeseman winning by a margin of victory = 0.071 seconds (approximately 24 feet) but losing lane choice to Austin in round two. The Safety Safari goes to work in the left lane, most of the oil beyond the finish line.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Warren Dauzat       6.439 206.61  Q    1 Tony Bartone        5.626 257.63
                  0.824  6.062 243.72  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.513  5.614 259.06

Bartone was at the starting line watching Jerry Toliver's third qualifying run and Toliver is now at the line watching Bartone's run - could this be an audition for the vacant WWF seat? Dauzat stutter-stepped the launch and Bartone streaked away for the easy win and reset the track speed record in the process.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Lawren Jones        5.997 233.88  Q    2 Paul Gill           5.655 257.68
 *****WINNER***** 0.578 No Time        E1                  0.492 No Time

Gill's car shook hard and made a hard left turn, taking out the 660-foot, 1,000-foot, and finish line speed and ET reflectors. Since Gill crossed the centerline, he was disqualified and Jones got the win by default, receiving no time or speed since Gill took out the timing system before Jones reached the finish line.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Jimmy Jones         5.850 249.26  Q    6 Todd Simpson        5.778 247.88
                  0.532  9.504  75.97  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.446  5.857 249.72

Jones shook hard and put the chute out just past half track. Simpson drove through shake for the "easy" win

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Steve Harker        5.849 246.30  Q    7 Jay Payne           5.783 250.37
                  0.516  6.049 190.24  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.574  5.807 251.06

The winner here will have lane choice over Lauren Jones. Harker left on Payne and appeared to be a car length ahead at half track, but then the Aussie's Avenger nosed over, slowing while Payne went on for a surprisingly easy win.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Todd Veney          5.804 245.40  Q    8 Tate Branch         5.800 253.09
                  0.534  5.880 226.13  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.474  5.818 253.90

Pairing the two cars qualified in the middle of the field, this should have been the closest matchup of the round - but Branch slapped a holeshot on Veney and then drove away from him. Branch advances, but loses lane choice to Bartone by almost 0.2 seconds.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  14 Jason Rupert        5.928 239.40  Q    3 Larry Miner         5.655 256.70
                  0.477  5.900 238.01  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.485  5.724 254.33

Two of the better Division 7 racers come all the way out to Houston to race each other in the first round. Rupert gets a slight starting line advantage, but Miner makes that up by 330 feet and then drives away to win by a margin of victory = 0.168 seconds (approximately 59 feet). Miner also earns lane choice against Simpson in round two.