Sun, 15 Oct 2006, 04:59 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Dan Bennett

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   19 John Finke                              5 Marty Thacker                
E4   ****WINNER****  0.075  5.273 271.73                     0.046  6.720 150.46
 Prior rounds:
E3    (K Perry     ) 0.051  5.253 276.29      (B Reichert  ) 0.035  5.270 268.28
E2    (R Bourke    ) 0.096  5.198 278.12      (J Bohr      ) 0.046  5.282 270.21
E1    (W Morris    ) 0.400  5.298 275.00      (D DeAngelis ) 0.121  5.283 268.54
 Qualified:             #1  5.183 277.26                        #3  5.265 269.83

Finke has never won a national event, but his odds look pretty good right now considering how quickly and consistently he's been running this weekend.

Thacker is 5-1 in the final round so he's been here before.

We get to see the fuel vs nitro battle again. Thacker is carrying a big Torco logo on the side of his car.

John Finke's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.398, 660ft-3.515/224.92mph, 1,000ft-4.457

Thacker drops a cylinder at the hit and it never lights off.

Finke wins his first ever, and with the capable help of Steve Boggs I would expect there are many more to come.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink