Sun, 9 Nov 2003, 04:13 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Marty Thacker                           2 Duane Shields
E2                   0.015  5.453 262.33     ****WINNER****  0.067  5.364 263.05
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Nicholson ) 0.036  5.357 266.37      (D Hudson    ) 0.046  5.424 257.53
 Qualified:             #6  5.355 265.17                        #3  5.331 269.56

12:50 PM We start the round with a blown alcohol and A/Fuel match match up. Shields pulls from behind to take the win. Thacker was out well ahead of Shields and struggled to keep the dragster in the lane running down the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   51 Alan Bradshaw                         318 Dave Hirata
E2   ****WINNER****  0.028  5.242 249.81                     0.069  5.417 260.81
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Wilson    ) 0.032  5.240 254.90      (J Severance ) 0.026  5.291 271.24
 Qualified:             #1  5.291 254.76                        #8  5.392 268.49

Two fuel cars this time. Bradshaw pulls steadily ahead to take the win, even with some dead holes near the top end. Hirata was in the chase until until near mid-track where he got out of the groove and slowed.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7438 Morgan Lucas                            9 David Wells
E2   ****WINNER****  0.021  5.368 268.33                     0.043  5.390 263.56
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Myers     ) 0.049  5.340 264.29      (L Miersch   ) 0.057  5.369 265.64
 Qualified:             #4  5.341 265.38                        #5  5.343 265.17

Lucas is away first and never looks back. Wells in the blown car makes a great pass too. Lucas will give up lane choice to Bradshaw in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Steve Federlin                         65 Mike Cofini
E2                   0.075  5.488 257.68     ****WINNER****  0.003  5.418 263.72
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Haley     ) 0.013  5.413 259.56      (B Reichert  ) 0.034  5.531 254.95
 Qualified:            #10  5.419 260.16                       #15  5.478 261.27

O'Bannon is on the side of Fererlin's dragster. The Mopar Gang is going on with a hugh hole shot off the line and an ever increasing lead to the finish line. Federlin was chasing, but didn't have the steam to get past. Shields will have lane choice next round. 1:01 PM

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink