Sun, 5 Oct 2003, 04:25 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1301 Douglas Foley                           1 Arthur Gallant
E2   ****WINNER****  0.070  5.414 261.27                     0.137  5.467 257.92
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Cantrell  ) 0.023  5.603 242.10      (K Winward   ) 0.142  5.462 238.51
 Qualified:            #11  5.561 254.28                        #3  5.404 252.85

Current weather conditions: 57 degrees, 42 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.98 inches under sunny skies.

Foley with a big starting line advantage and just drove away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  182 Daniel Mercier                        185 Mike Kosky
E2                   0.149  5.506 259.41     ****WINNER****  0.049  5.418 260.41
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Horner    ) 0.037  5.463 262.85      (R Mc Phillip) 0.065  5.397 261.32
 Qualified:             #7  5.477 260.97                       #15  5.625 210.67

Kosky was out of the gate first and never looked back to take the win and will give up lane choice to Foley by 0.004 second in the semifinal. Mercier got out of the groove, but stayed with it.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  149 Mark Albert                            24 Michael Gunderson
E2                   0.170  5.453 256.75     ****WINNER****  0.021  5.402 273.72
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D DeAngelis ) 0.115  5.446 256.65      (B Insinger  ) 0.333  5.539 278.52
 Qualified:             #9  5.520 252.14                        #1  5.232 280.54

Gunderson with a great light light, but started mixing up cylinder around half track. He still had the power to hold on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Cliff Bozzelli                       1482 Richard Bourke
E2                  -0.039  5.424 261.83     ****WINNER****  0.025  9.757  82.26
 Prior rounds:
E1    (K Benkovich ) 0.029  5.459 260.91      (S Tafur     ) 0.101  5.466 268.06
 Qualified:             #4  5.423 258.12                        #5  5.429 265.90

Bourke went in deep and then Bozzelli turned on the red light. That was a lucky for Bourke has he dropped a cylinder as soon as the light turned green and finally lifted when he saw the win light on in his lane. He will give up lane choice to Gunderson.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink