Sun, 22 Jun 2008, 05:26 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  110 Rich McPhillips                       122 Arthur Gallant               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.029  5.562 254.42                     0.142  5.453 268.92
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Horner    ) 0.059  5.555 255.77      (G Arrigoni  ) 0.124  5.466 261.47
 Qualified:             #6  5.417 262.74                        #3  5.370 269.08

5:15 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 58 percent, barometer 29.81 inches, adjusted altitude 2,807 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.

This was a surprise. McPhillips got this one on a hole shot. McPhillips got out of the gate early and made a really nice pass down the track. Gallant was closing the gap but simply ran out of track. McPhillips got the win and will move on to the semi-final round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  118 Ken Winward                             8 John Finke                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.080  5.583 247.11                     0.277  5.436 273.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Mercier   ) 0.085  5.662 251.58                     0.113  5.375 272.45
 Qualified:             #9  5.523 256.06                        #1  5.258 280.43

Another surprise! Finke left late and spun the rear tires when he launched. By the time he got started, the 71-year old Winward was way out in front.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1482 Richard Bourke                        466 Diana Harker                 
E2                   0.066  5.566 235.31     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.435 256.84
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Pickett   ) 0.096  5.578 266.21      (J Fricke    ) 0.082  5.558 253.71
 Qualified:             #4  5.389 266.42                        #5  5.393 261.17

This one was Harker's all the way. She got out of the gate first and extended her lead as she raced down the track. Harker will have lane choice over Winward in round three.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1712 Dave DeAngelis                       7006 Travis Nicholson             
E2   ****WINNER****  0.067  5.458 255.58                     0.073  5.634 250.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Evans     ) 0.068  5.513 256.99      (B Insinger  ) 0.132  5.646 253.14
 Qualified:            #10  5.544 256.21                        #2  5.317 263.36

DeAngelis had this one from start to finish. Nicholson lost some cylinders along the way. DeAngelis will have lane choice over McPhillips in round three.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink