Sun, 6 Jun 2010, 09:32 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 3 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
    4 Shawn Cowie                            54 Jared Dreher                 
E3                   0.135  5.734 192.52     ****WINNER****  0.034  5.531 253.04
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Thacker   ) 0.085  5.340 264.80      (K Perry     ) 0.079  5.469 256.36
E1    (R Samsel    ) 0.080  5.375 263.67      (M Manners   ) 0.059  5.498 255.53
 Qualified:             #2  5.338 262.59                       #14  5.515 251.44

8:19 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 29.23 inches, adjusted altitude 1,955 feet, track temperature 79 degrees.

Over five hours ago, these two made their burnouts and prepared to stage, only to be shut off for rain. Now conditions are totally different, and that could favor Dreher's A/Fuel car. If Cowie can run as well as he did earlier, Dreher will need a career-best to get the win. This is the first time Cowie and Dreher have faced each other in eliminations.

Dreher had a tenth in hand at the tree, then Cowie's car was all over the lane, finally popping the burst panel on the top end. Dreher gets his sixth career round win (doubling his total today) and goes to his first-ever final round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Bill Reichert                        4843 Monroe Guest                 
E3                   0.066 14.930  55.42     ****WINNER****  0.088  5.295 270.43
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Shields   ) 0.106  5.307 265.59      (J Whiteley  ) 0.076  5.348 254.57
E1    (M Taliaferro) 0.154  5.278 267.53      (D Nicholson ) 0.050  5.295 260.76
 Qualified:             #8  5.415 266.79                        #5  5.363 255.48

Reichert is 1 - 0 against Guest in prior events, that win coming in the final round of the Houston race this year.

Reichert smoked the tires right off the line and Guest evens the score on a great run. He will have lane choice against Dreher in the final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink