Sat, 16 Mar 2013, 18:10 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 44th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3422 Ken Perry                              37 Paul Fishburn                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.056  5.297 268.81                     0.040  5.500 254.66
 Qualified:             #8  5.334 269.73                        #9  5.381 261.57

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 29.81 inches, adjusted altitude 1,831 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

This is the first time Perry and Fishburn have faced each other in eliminations. Fishburn with the starting line advantage, but Perry has the difference made up by 100 feet and takes the win. Perry with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Ken Perry's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.354, 660ft-3.490/217.67 mph, 1,000ft-4.464.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Duane Shields                          12 Dan Mercier                  
E1                   0.057  5.516 267.91     ****WINNER****  0.106  5.329 268.60
 Qualified:            #13  5.449 266.32                        #4  5.316 263.56

Shields is 1 - 0 against Mercier in prior events. Shields with the starting line advantage, but Mercier has the lead by 150 feet and drives away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  211 Artie Allen                          2380 Matthew Cummings             
E1                   0.332  5.694 210.60     ****WINNER****  0.093  5.366 264.60
 Qualified:             #7  5.332 260.61                       #10  5.395 263.05

This is the first time Allen and Cummings have faced each other in eliminations. Cummings with a big starting line advantage and runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Matthew Cummings' incremental times: 60ft-0.936 sec., 330ft-2.379, 660ft-3.525/215.37 mph, 1,000ft-4.518.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  318 Dave Hirata                            17 Frank Schuster               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  5.457 229.12                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #6  5.332 269.46                       #11  5.419 255.82

This is the first time Hirata and Schuster have faced each other in eliminations. Schuster broke on the burnout and Hirata will get the freebie here. Hirata slowed on the top end...

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   18 Karen Stalba                          596 Randy Meyer                  
E1                   0.073  5.474 258.76     ****WINNER****  0.074  5.364 264.18
 Qualified:            #12  5.433 258.62                        #5  5.322 265.06

This is the first time Stalba and Meyer have faced each other in eliminations. they leave together and Stalba has the lead until just past the 330-foot mark where Meyer grabbed the lead. He motors on for the win. He will give up lane choice to Mercier in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rich McPhillips                        36 Robin Samsel                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.196  5.384 263.15                     0.056  8.088 115.67
 Qualified:             #3  5.313 267.00                       #14  5.460 261.37

McPhillips is 1 - 0 against Samsel in prior events. Samsel with a big starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit and Phillips grabs the lead early and then never trails. McPhillips will have lane choice over Hirata in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1011 Dan Dietrich                            3 Bill Reichert                
E1                   0.144  5.614 243.72     ****WINNER****  0.061  5.319 269.73
 Qualified:            #15  5.477 260.66                        #2  5.286 263.98

Reichert is 1 - 0 against Dietrich in prior events. Reichert with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Dietrich pop a burst panel on the top end. Reichert with the second quickest pass of the round and he will have lane choice over Cummings in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1766 Mike Burns                           1900 Dan Page                     
E1                   0.097  6.014 187.91     ****WINNER****  0.106  5.503 255.05
 Qualified:            #16  5.501 261.42                        #1  5.267 274.55

This is the first time Burns and Page have faced each other in eliminations. burns is out of the gate first, but Page has him chased down by 400 feet and takes the win. He will give up lane choice to Perry in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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