Sun, 7 Sep 2003, 02:23 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Keith Burgan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  391 Bill Reichert                           7 Marty Thacker
E2                   0.056  5.489 269.78     ****WINNER****  0.021  5.397 263.20
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Shields   ) 0.086  5.309 276.46      (G Kelly     ) 0.048  5.350 264.18
 Qualified:             #5  5.388 272.39                        #4  5.380 262.79

Thacker's mother passed away yesterday morning so he has other things on his mind in addition to racing today. Reichert was quicker in round one yesterday and selects the left lane. Thacker has the light and runs just a tad slower than his qualifying pace as the Bar's Leaks car slows by a tenth from Reichert's earlier efforts. to trail by a couple of car lengths in the lights.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   24 Michael Gunderson                    7438 Morgan Lucas
E2                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.036  5.324 263.98
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Wells     ) 0.137  5.323 278.35      (J Haley     ) 0.059  5.350 265.22
 Qualified:             #8  5.424 260.01                        #1  5.314 264.80

A pair of A/FD's here with Gunderson having lane choice. The fastest A/FD on the planet is shut off on the line by starter Rick Stewart and Lucas gets a free pass to the semi's. The mops are out in Guderson's lane so a leak was obviously his problem. Lucas matches his qualifying pace on the bye.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  185 Mike Kosky                              8 Shelly Howard
E2                   0.048  5.475 255.53     ****WINNER****  0.054  5.424 257.28
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Mc Cornack) 0.012  5.486 255.53      (K Stark     ) 0.048  5.499 250.04
 Qualified:            #14  5.500 256.45                       #11  5.470 258.57

This is a very evenly matched pair of blown cars with Howard being quicker in qualifying and alky dragster veteran Kosky better in round one, thus having the choice of the preferred left lane. Current weather conditions: 78 degrees, 49 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.09 inches, with a track temperature of 110 degrees.

Tuner Tom Conway takes a final look at Howard's car before she stages. Kosky is first off the line but not by much and even though he makes his best run of the event he trails by 17 feet in the traps.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  303 Todd Datweiler                         33 Jeff Wilson
E2                   0.066 10.500  96.75     ****WINNER****  0.099  5.567 259.51
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Foley     ) 0.061  5.388 264.34      (D Nicholson ) 0.059  5.454 259.61
 Qualified:             #2  5.346 259.76                        #7  5.406 259.31

Wilson fired up but is shut off after Rick Stewart spotted some oil on the right lane and the mops and tractor are out for a brief sweep of the lane. The oil must have been minimal as we are ready to go again in a minute or so, waiting a moment while Wilson's crew back the motor down. Wilson's chassis builder, Mike Spitzer is on the line to observe the run as he has been all weekend. This one was over early as second generation racer Datweiler smoke the tires right off the line.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink