Sat, 6 Sep 2003, 11:39 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations |
By Keith Burgan |
CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 1 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 24 Michael Gunderson 9 David Wells E1 ****WINNER**** 0.137 5.323 278.35 No Time Qualified: #8 5.424 260.01 #9 5.444 263.31Current weather conditions: 64 degrees, 37 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.02 inches, with a track temperature of 86 degrees. Wells was shut off after his burnout after putting some "stuff" on the track and Gunderson got a freebie. Gunderson's solo was a stunner as he picked up a tenth from his qualifying pace and ran the best speed ever for the category at 278.35 mph
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 391 Bill Reichert 2 Duane Shields E1 ****WINNER**** 0.086 5.309 276.46 0.038 5.407 261.57 Qualified: #5 5.388 272.39 #12 5.473 260.06Shields had the better light but Reichert drove around him as both cars picked up from their qualifying pace in the ideal weather conditions this morning
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
4 Darren Nicholson 33 Jeff Wilson
E1 -0.004 5.458 247.61 ****WINNER**** 0.059 5.454 259.61
Qualified: #10 5.453 258.27 #7 5.406 259.31
Nicholson wasted a 5.458 with a 4 thou early leave as Wilson slows just a tad from his
qualifying pace but still has the better time by the same 4 thousandths.Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 312 Keith Stark 8 Shelly Howard E1 0.099 6.390 154.81 ****WINNER**** 0.048 5.499 250.04 Qualified: #6 5.403 261.32 #11 5.470 258.57After a quick mid track clean up in Wilson's lane we are back with another pair of mid field runners.Howard is first out of the gate and never headed as Stark slows at half track and coasts across the line.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
7 Marty Thacker 2155 Guy Kelly
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.048 5.350 264.18 -0.001 5.464 262.08
Qualified: #4 5.380 262.79 #13 5.484 258.57
Again the sweeper and tractor make a pass down the right lane, this time from the start line
to the 330 clocks. After around 10 minutes of grooming we are back in action. As he did
throughout qualifying Thacker lofts the front wheels off the line but they stay within 8" of the
track as he takes the automatic win over Kelly's .001 foul.Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 185 Mike Kosky 276 Bill McCornack E1 ****WINNER**** 0.012 5.486 255.53 0.026 5.900 191.00 Qualified: #14 5.500 256.45 #17 5.527 254.66First alternate McCornack is in the show replacing third qualified Bradshaw who is running the divisional race in Earlville, Iowa this weekend but he slows considerably from his qualifying pace and Kosky takes an easy win from the bottom half of the ladder.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 7438 Morgan Lucas 10 John Haley E1 ****WINNER**** 0.059 5.350 265.22 0.051 5.387 262.08 Qualified: #1 5.314 264.80 #16 5.506 258.67Haley leaves just ahead of Lucas and holds the lead until just short of the 1000' mark as he improves considerably from his qualifying effort but the defending champ does not quite have enough for Lucas.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 303 Todd Datweiler 1301 Douglas Foley E1 ****WINNER**** 0.061 5.388 264.34 0.104 5.469 257.63 Qualified: #2 5.346 259.76 #15 5.503 255.63Datweiler did not have a stellar light but Foley was even later and despite picking up nearly half a tenth from his qualifying pace he trailed by almost 50 feet in the traps.
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