Sun, 28 Sep 2003, 03:43 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Jonathan Adams

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Third annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 David Wells                           312 Keith Stark
E3   ****WINNER****  0.119  5.329 268.49                           No Time
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B Reichert  ) 0.017  5.297 268.44      (J Haley     ) 0.011  5.319 269.89
E1    (T Datweiler ) 0.041  5.294 267.91      (S Howard    ) 0.041  8.140  87.36
 Qualified:            #10  5.434 239.95                        #3  5.266 268.22

The Super Comp car that was in the left lane before this pair left some stuff about 100 feet out. Doesn't faze Wells, however, as he stays in the left lane. Both races in this round feature a blown car against a nitro car. Stark has beaten two blown cars to get this far, while Wells has downed two nitro cars, so something has to give here.

Stark breaks after his burnout, so Wells takes a Sunday drive into the final.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   65 Mike Cofini                          7438 Morgan Lucas
E3                   0.008  9.988  79.75     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.249 263.36
 Prior rounds:
E2    (T Bartone   ) 0.005  5.442 261.07      (A Bradshaw  ) 0.037  5.229 271.41
E1    (D Hirata    ) 0.012  5.359 263.10      (M Myers     ) 0.034  5.259 262.13
 Qualified:             #8  5.425 259.51                        #4  5.306 270.64

The lanes must be fairly even, because Wells took the left lane and Lucas chooses the right. Cofini is a decided underdog here, but he has already put away two injected-nitro cars today. Lucas has been very quick and very consistent this weekend, and unless he makes a mistake, he should win this one.

Cofini again drills the Tree, but the car went left and he had to lift. Lucas with another brilliant pass, and he will have lane choice over Wells in what should be an awesome final round. Lucas, who won the Allstars on Saturday, is one round away from doubling-up this weekend.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink