Sun, 29 Mar 2009, 02:56 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  412 David Brounkowski                    4009 Kimmelyn Buff Pesz           
E2   ****WINNER****  0.143  5.246 266.74                     0.257  5.277 273.55
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Reichert  ) 0.073  5.236 264.39      (B Force     ) 0.185  5.298 269.29
 Qualified:             #7  5.358 265.27                        #2  5.312 271.24

1:41 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 30 percent, barometer 29.99 inches, adjusted altitude 1,033 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Buff-Pesz is making just her sixth national event start in TAD, already has a career-best speed of 271.24, in qualifying here. Andy Reichert, Bill Reichert's son, is helping Brounkowski this weekend - ironically, Brounkowski beat Reichert in the first round, running low ET for the weekend.

This one was all Brounkowski, just a hundredth slower than his first-round effort and his best speed of the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Duane Shields                          23 Bill Evans                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.056  5.294 271.73                     0.156  5.522 268.65
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Gallant   ) 0.099  5.284 267.22      (C Force     ) 0.061  5.497 267.00
 Qualified:             #8  5.369 265.69                       #16  5.639 269.03

Shields has been to the finals four times at this event, still seeking his first win. Evans is making his ninth career start, has just two round wins, including the one yesterday.

Shields won this one easily, also losing just a hundredth from his best run, yesterday.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   65 Justin Davis                           72 Chris Demke                  
E2                   0.034  5.375 245.81     ****WINNER****  0.057  5.332 254.33
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Kracht    ) 0.079  6.779 201.19      (B Lewis     ) 0.047  5.349 262.23
 Qualified:            #11  5.464 260.51                        #3  5.314 264.55

The only two blown cars in the field squared off here. Demke was the runner-up at this year's Winternationals, where he posted low ET of the event, and this is the first time he's raced at this event. Davis is making just his seventh start.

Wow! Close race, Davis was away first, then the two traded the lead back and forth, Demke taking over on the top end for the win. Chris Demke's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.017), 330 ft(0.006), 660ft(-0.007), 1,000ft(-0.004). MOV: 0.0200 seconds (approximately 7 feet). Demke faces Brounkowski in the semifinals, Brounkowski has lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  489 Chase Copeland                        465 Michael Manners              
E2                   0.067  5.381 269.29     ****WINNER****  0.082  5.285 274.22
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Lawson    ) 0.059  5.368 268.38      (D Cox       ) 0.114  5.240 276.01
 Qualified:             #5  5.349 268.65                        #4  5.339 271.24

Copeland is in his first-ever event. Manners has been on a streak lately, his last four runs in eliminations were 5.32, 5.27, 5.26 and 5.24, in that order (including three runs at Gainesville).

Copeland had the holeshot and the early lead, but Manners once again rian in the twenties and took over on the top end for the win. Michael Manners' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.036), 330 ft(-0.006), 660ft(0.037), 1,000ft(0.063). MOV: 0.0811 seconds (approximately 32 feet). He will have lane choice against Shields in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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