Sun, 14 Nov 2004, 03:37 PM Pro Stock Bike Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock Bike at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 40th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Geno Scali                            405 Blaine Hale
E1   ****WINNER****  0.027  7.147 184.95                     0.000  7.285 182.85
 Qualified:             #2  7.091 188.65                       #15  7.199 185.43

12:18 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 28.98 inches, adjusted altitude 2,167 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Scali is the defending 2003 Pro Stock Bike Champion and has not had a win this year. Hale nails the tree with a perfect .000 RT and has to watch Scali drive on by before the 330 lights.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  751 Steve Johnson                         310 Joe DeSantis
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  7.215 184.80                     0.253  7.694 156.23
 Qualified:             #8  7.142 186.51                        #9  7.162 185.23

Johnson's first race was here in 1987. DeSantis ran his personal best in qualifying. Major malfunction for DeSantis off the line, as the bike just sits there when he dumps the clutch handle. Johnson is long gone.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Craig Treble                          467 Kurt Matte
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  7.191 184.04                    -0.143  7.255 180.86
 Qualified:             #6  7.131 191.59                       #11  7.179 186.05

Treble is the defending race winner. Major red light start for Matte gives the easy win to Treble.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  200 Chip Ellis                            777 Karen Stoffer
E1   ****WINNER****  0.018  7.153 186.82                     0.037  7.316 181.62
 Qualified:             #1  7.024 188.38                       #16  7.204 184.47

In Ellis has four starts this year and was the winner at the Las Vegas-2 race. Stoffer's last win was at Sonoma. Ellis takes no prisoners and drives away from the start.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Andrew Hines                           10 GT Tonglet
E1                   0.029  7.164 185.33     ****WINNER****  0.000  7.165 187.34
 Qualified:            #12  7.184 185.23                        #5  7.115 187.16

Hines wrapped up the 2004 Pro Stock Bike Championship by cement ing his qualifying in the last session yesterday. The family donated the damaged carbon-fiber body from their chain failure in earlier qualifying to the Russell Family Auction last night and then paid $10,000 to outbid the competition and buy it back for the Museum. Major "In your face" for Hines, as Tonglet makes a perfect start to steal the win.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  412 Michael Phillips                      316 Chip Hunter
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  7.250 182.23                    -0.042  7.202 186.77
 Qualified:             #7  7.137 187.26                       #10  7.167 186.18

Hunter had his first round win earlier this year. He has a red light start to give the win to Phillips. Scali will have lane choice next round.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Antron Brown                          204 Matt Smith
E1   ****WINNER****  0.030  7.147 186.48                     0.039  7.205 184.14
 Qualified:             #3  7.092 188.15                       #14  7.195 184.57

Smith needs the win to stay even with Savoie. He has all the numbers to ensure next round, where he has lane choice over Treble..

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Angelle Savoie                          9 Mike Berry
E1   ****WINNER****  0.174  7.071 187.63                     0.045  7.275 183.15
 Qualified:             #4  7.111 186.85                       #13  7.185 185.84

Savoie is still in the hunt with Brown for the #2 and #3 Championship spot. She has a nine to nothing advantage over Berry coming into this round. Berry is well away at the start and stays there until almost mid-track. Savoie's Army power save the round for her and she will have lane choice over Tonglet next round

12:31 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink