Mon, 5 Sep 2005, 03:53 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 51st annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   42 Gene Snow                             475 Steve Torrence               
E3                   0.083  5.457 250.13     ****WINNER****  0.078  5.326 265.22
 Prior rounds:
E2    (S Federlin  ) 0.082  5.292 258.62      (B Reichert  ) 0.086  5.294 266.69
E1    (A Force     ) 0.109  5.333 246.98      (A Gallant   ) 0.096  5.241 267.80
 Qualified:             #1  5.268 265.53                        #5  5.400 262.64

2:42 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.83 inches, adjusted altitude 1,597 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.

Snow was unable to get the car into reverse after the burnout and had to be pushed back to the starting line, the engine still running. He got back and staged without major delay and there wasn't much difference on the tree, but Torrence's car was much stronger in the second half of the run and he won handily.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 717M Aaron Olivarez                       7470 Hillary Will                 
E3                   0.083  5.475 265.48     ****WINNER****  0.087  5.468 265.95
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Thacker   ) 0.088  5.281 269.13      (B Johnson   ) 0.091  5.453 266.42
E1    (T Datweiler ) 0.077  5.266 270.05      (J Dreher    ) 0.076  5.363 267.96
 Qualified:             #3  5.327 267.00                        #2  5.327 269.46

Two rising stars faced off here, Wills headed for a Top Fuel ride next year. Score one for the female drivers in a very close drag race. Will pulled ahead early and Olivarez was running her down on the top end, but her early lead was just enough for the win. Hillary Will's incremental margins: 60ft(0.053), 330 ft(0.050), 660ft(0.031), 1,000ft(0.009). MOV: 0.0036 seconds (approximately 17 inches). Will faces Torrence in the final round and Torrence will pick the lanes.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink