A
field of 3 competed for the honours in Round One of the 2012 FIA Top
Methanol Funny Car championship at Santa Pod, braving the rain which
affected the meeting..
The TMFC qualifying was limited to 2 rounds on Saturday and opened with
Steph Milam running 6.2149/238, with a huge bounce at the top end that
saw the car several feet off the ground. She had to be helped from the
car at the end of the shutdown area and it was reported after the
meeting that she had cracked a vertebrae in her back. Rob and Danny
were already strapped in with engines running and had to be shut down
while Steph was rescued. Rob took longer to re-fire and so Danny soloed
to a 5.8274/246, followed by Rob with a pedalled and short-shifted
6.3320/206.28.
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Steph
didn't run again, leaving Rob and Danny to make another attempt
which ended in spectacular style, as Danny crossed the centreline,
wiping out the timing blocks at the finish line and denying Rob a time
and speed for his run. Danny then failed to deploy his chutes and ended
up going a few metres into the field with minimal damage to the
bodywork of the Dodge Charger.
The eliminations opened with two bye runs, Steph having retired and
being a no-show. Both teams went for a good time, wanting lane choice
in the final. Bellio ran the fastest time of the weekend with a
5.7679/239.84 that saw him end up in the field yet again and Turner
recorded a 5.8821/236.
The final put Rob and Danny side by side once
more, with Danny having the luxury of lane choice. Rob left first and
Danny had minor tyreshake but held it together and began to power his
way past Rob. It was neck and neck until suddenly Rob's car sidestepped
across the centreline just after 1000' and followed Danny through the
finishing line in the right-hand lane, handing the Belgian team their
first ever TMFC FIA win.
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Danny
Bellio (near lane) vs Rob Turner
FIA TOP METHANOL
FUNNY CAR Winner:
Danny Bellio (BEL)
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QUALIFYING:
|
|
ET
|
MPH
|
KPH
|
1
|
Danny Bellio
|
BEL
|
5.8274
|
246.50
|
396.70
|
2
|
Stephanie Milam
|
GBR
|
6.2149
|
238.56
|
383.93
|
3
|
Rob Turner
|
GBR
|
6.3320
|
206.28
|
331.98
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ELIMINATIONS:
Semi-Final:
Danny Bellio 5.7679/239.84 on bye run
Rob Turner 5.8821/236.08 def. Stephanie Milam no show
Final
Danny Bellio 5.9120/234.98 def Rob Turner no time or speed, DQ
Low Elapsed Time of
the Meet: 5.7679 seconds – Danny Bellio
Top Speed of the
Meet: 246.50 mph / 396.70 kph –
Danny Bellio
Happy duo on the podium -
winner Danny Bellio (right) and runner-up Rob Turner.
Well done both teams!
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