Sat, 5 Jun 2010, 04:34 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Allstars Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster Allstars at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 26th annual NHRA Jeg's Allstars:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 John Finke                              3 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.063  5.785 234.17     ****WINNER****  0.124  5.397 265.48
 Qualified:             #8  6.184 244.83                        #1  5.333 268.92

3:00 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 83 percent, barometer 29.05 inches, adjusted altitude 2,895 feet, track temperature 81 degrees.

This is Shields' second Allstars start, he was the runner-up in '01 and represents Division 2. Finke is making his 4th start in a row in the Allstars and represents Division 1.

Finke has struggled this weekend and Shields led before the 60-foot timer despite the apaprent holeshot for Finke, then won going away.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Ken Perry                             422 Malcolm Wahle                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.075  5.385 260.71                     0.128  5.564 241.07
 Qualified:             #6  5.434 258.62                        #3  5.389 250.78

THis is the first Allstars start for both drivers, Wahle from Division 4, Perry Division 3.

Perry left first and never looked back for an easy win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Bill Reichert                           4 Shawn Cowie                  
E1                   0.041  5.451 259.16     ****WINNER****  0.108  5.338 262.59
 Qualified:             #4  5.415 266.79                        #5  5.430 259.36

Reichert won the Allstars in '99 and '09 and he is a blocker for Division 3. Cowie is the Division 6 champion, making his first Allstars start.

Reichert had a nice holeshot and that usually would result ina Reichert win, but Cowie made an awesome run and took the lead almost immediately to notch a point for Division 6. He will have lane choice against Shields in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Jim Whiteley                           53 Edwin Schmeeckle             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.353 261.47                     0.092  5.474 260.11
 Qualified:             #2  5.369 264.86                        #7  5.480 260.71

Whitely is the Division 7 champ, making his first Allstars start. Schmeeckle is making his fourth Allstars start, for Division 5, and was the runner-up in '04.

Whitely had the better light and won by ver a car length. He will have lane choice against perry in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink