Sat, 15 Mar 2003, 02:27 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 34th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  204 Jason Cannon                          337 Tim Rudy
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  5.463 260.71                     0.063 13.783  80.09
 Qualified:             #8  5.431 261.39                       #17  5.690 236.40

2:04 PM After qualifying under cloudy skies, the racers are faced with running under sunny skies, on a hot race track. Current weather conditions: 76 degrees, 61 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.92 inches, with a track temperature of 106 degrees.

Rudy was in as first alternate, for Shelly Howard. His car died after the launch, struggling down the track. Meanwhile, Cannon made a very nice run, right down the groove, to move to the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1482 Richard Bourke                         26 Artie Allen
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  5.401 266.35                     0.081  5.528 256.19
 Qualified:             #3  5.316 270.59                       #14  5.575 254.59

Good drag race, but Allen was a bit slower off the mark and a bit slower getting to the other end, Bourke unable to match his qualifying pace, but quick enough to win by a couple car lengths.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Arthur Gallant                        276 Bill McCornack
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.409 238.09                     0.036 11.377  67.90
 Qualified:             #5  5.362 245.83                       #12  5.546 231.60

McCornack got a big holeshot, but the car shook the tires and slowed almost immediately. Meanwhile, Gallant almost matched his qualifying pace and advanced easily.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   24 Michael Gunderson                       9 David Wells
E1                   0.039 14.451  79.41     ****WINNER****  0.065  5.471 258.39
 Qualified:             #6  5.373 268.89                       #11  5.523 253.73

Gunderson was up in smoke immediately, while Wells turned in his best run of the weekend. Wells advances and will face Bourke next round, Bourke with lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2155 Guy Kelly                             117 Fran Monaghan Jr
E1   ****WINNER****  0.015  5.433 259.29                     0.077  5.683 241.28
 Qualified:             #7  5.410 261.47                       #10  5.492 255.02

Two blower cars faced off here, but the race was all Kelly's, leaving with a great reaction time and running almost as quickly as he qualified.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Marty Thacker                        1301 Douglas Foley
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  5.460 262.62                     0.107  5.514 257.21
 Qualified:             #4  5.328 263.69                       #13  5.572 249.72

Two more blower cars. Thacker was vulnerable, but Foley let him win the battle at the starting line and then had to steer away from the centerline at half track, so Thacker won handily despite losing more than a tenth from his qualifying pace. he faces Gallant next round and Gallant will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  200 Tony Bartone                          316 Randy Bayne
E1   ****WINNER****  0.042  5.346 269.70                     0.116  5.929 189.19
 Qualified:             #2  5.289 270.18                       #15  5.581 251.74

Bayne lost a blower belt on the top end, but by then the race was over, bartone with a good light and another very quick run, the quickest of the round, to advance easily. bartone races Kelly in round two and will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  391 Bill Reichert                         149 Mark Albert
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  5.305 273.63                     0.012  5.681 252.73
 Qualified:             #1  5.284 267.61                       #16  5.655 251.67

Albert left first, but Reichert made most of it up in the first 60 feet, then ran away and hid. He will have lane choice against cannon next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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