Sun, 6 Jun 2010, 02:30 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Bill Reichert                           3 Duane Shields                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.106  5.307 265.59                     0.324  5.361 269.94
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Taliaferro) 0.154  5.278 267.53      (B Mans      ) 0.110  5.418 269.51
 Qualified:             #8  5.415 266.79                        #1  5.333 268.92

1:05 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.19 inches, adjusted altitude 2,570 feet, track temperature 109 degrees.

It looked like Reichert "found his groove" in the first round after struggling through the first two days of this event. Reichert is 8 - 2 against Shields in prior events.

This wasn't as close as the scoreboard suggests, Reichert's reaction time was not all that good, but Shields went in deep, apparently not planning to, and his reaction time could have been measured with an egg timer.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Jim Whiteley                         4843 Monroe Guest                 
E2                   0.082  5.692 189.50     ****WINNER****  0.076  5.348 254.57
 Prior rounds:
E1    (E Schmeeckle) 0.130  5.329 269.24      (D Nicholson ) 0.050  5.295 260.76
 Qualified:             #4  5.353 261.47                        #5  5.363 255.48

This is the first time Whiteley and Guest have faced each other in eliminations.

Usually it's the fuel car that drops cylinders and trails raw fuel, but this time it was the blown car that was struggling to keep the candles lit, an easy win for Guest. He faces Reichert in the semifinals, Reichert has lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Ken Perry                              54 Jared Dreher                 
E2                   0.078  6.237 139.10     ****WINNER****  0.079  5.469 256.36
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Booher    ) 0.073  5.349 263.36      (M Manners   ) 0.059  5.498 255.53
 Qualified:             #6  5.385 260.71                       #14  5.515 251.44

Perry is 1 - 0 against Dreher in prior events.

Perry had Dreher covered all the way to half track, then POP! went the burst panel and Perry's car started slowing down.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Shawn Cowie                            33 Marty Thacker                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.340 264.80                     0.073  5.411 264.23
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Samsel    ) 0.080  5.375 263.67      (M Wahle     ) 0.120  5.377 265.53
 Qualified:             #2  5.338 262.59                       #10  5.444 264.44

Thacker is 1 - 0 against Cowie in prior events - that was in the finals at Dallas last year.

Cowie evened the tally sheet , taking the lead in the first 60 feet, then pulling away. He will have lane choice against Dreher in the semifinals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink