Sat, 11 Oct 2003, 11:31 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 18th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

---

Left Lane: Bruce Bowler Runs 5.355/257.14, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.562/252.80, Was #13
Right Lane: Karl Brounkowski Runs 5.614/263.15, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.652/261.55, Was #18

Current weather conditions: 67 degrees, 87 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.93 inches, with a track temperature of 78 degrees under sunny skies.

Bowler with little wiggle around 800 feet and still takes the number one spot. Brounkowski gets into the show for now and he bumped out Traugott.

---

Left Lane: Steve Federlin Runs 5.433/259.74, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.522/256.99, Was #11
Right Lane: Chris Ricketts Runs 5.550/249.72, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.760/247.04, Was #19

Ricketts dropped cylinders on the right bank around half track, but still got into the show and bumped out Brounkowski. Federlin moved into the top half of the show.

---

Left Lane: Marty Thacker Runs 5.402/255.53, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.380/256.41, Was #4
Right Lane: Larry Traugott Runs 6.577/146.84, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.626/244.83, Was #18

Thacker was skating around a little right off the starting line, but still has a nice pass. Traugott has something let go early and we have oil.

---

Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.342/272.14, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.450/260.26, Was #6
Right Lane: Lee Callaway Runs 5.494/257.21, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.465/256.19, Was #7

Bartone launched hard and keep it firing on all eight to go to number one. No help here for Callaway, but still a good pass.

---

Left Lane: Darryl Hitchman Runs 5.733/253.44, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.807/250.20, Was #20
Right Lane: David Wells Runs 5.444/250.27, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.493/257.43, Was #11

Hitchman picks up, but not enough to break into the show. Wells with a nice looking pass to get into the top half of the show.

---

Left Lane: Bill Reichert Runs 5.288/274.05, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.469/268.73, Was #9
Right Lane: Shelly Howard Runs 6.159/160.68, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.635/237.40, Was #19

Howard had the bust panel pop around 900 feet and she will not make the show. Reichert with a great looking pass to go to the top of the list.

---

Left Lane: Ed Schmeeckle Runs 5.516/254.09, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.526/254.59, Was #13
Right Lane: Douglas Foley Runs 6.927/135.50, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.579/255.46, Was #16

Schmeeckle runs a career best E.T., but will stay number 13. Foley was mixing up cylinders and apparently something let go as the Safety Safari is rolling. Just got the word from race control Foley is DQ'ed for the event.

---

Left Lane: Mike Bowers No Time, Now #23; Best prior run: 6.378/204.08, Was #23
Right Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 5.298/263.23, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.504/249.23, Was #12

Bowers left before the tree was activated and will not make the show. Bradshaw with a great looking pass to move into the number two spot.

---

Left Lane: Glen Woosley Runs 8.546/100.37, Now #25; Best prior run: 6.777/193.54, Was #25
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 5.335/260.04, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.362/263.69, Was #6

Woosley is spraying fuel right from the hit and he won't make the show. Lucas with a nice looking pass to move up three spots.

---

Left Lane: James Copeland II Runs 5.578/255.68, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.569/256.33, Was #15
Right Lane: Carl Magee Runs 6.746/203.29, Now #24; Best prior run: 6.713/199.77, Was #24

Magee dropped cylinders as soon he hit the throttle. Copeland with another good pass, but will stay number 15.

---

Right Lane: Gene Snow Runs 19.686/50.65, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.474/245.76, Was #11

Snow is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. That wraps up qualifying with Reichert number one and Brounkowski on the bump.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink