Sun, 10 Oct 2010, 01:38 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 26th annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 John Finke                              3 Duane Shields                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.361 263.92                     0.081  5.389 268.01
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Kosky     ) 0.051  5.323 250.97      (R McPhillips) 0.082  5.280 272.01
 Qualified:            #11  5.448 259.11                        #8  5.403 267.59

1:27 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 29 percent, barometer 29.33 inches, adjusted altitude 2,136 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Finke and Shields came off the starting line at almost the same time. But from the time they left the starting line until they crossed the finish line, Finke pulled away and extended his lead.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7051 Darren Nicholson                        1 Bill Reichert                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.352 261.27                     0.061  5.373 253.23
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Bourke    ) 0.080  5.357 260.21      (B Booher    ) 0.055  5.300 262.95
 Qualified:             #5  5.363 260.61                        #2  5.315 264.55

Nicholson was quicker at the tree and had the lower ET so he got the win. Reichert needed to get to the final round to increase his points total in the championship race. Since that won't happen, he is done accumulating points at national events this year.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Ken Perry                              69 Mike Austin                  
E2                   0.040  5.441 260.16     ****WINNER****  0.023  5.429 234.17
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Thacker   ) 0.036 11.662  42.09      (B Greco     ) 0.064  5.298 268.81
 Qualified:            #10  5.425 255.29                        #4  5.326 267.80

Perry's car popped the blower in round one but he and his crew were able to get the car back together in time for this round. Austin got out of the gate first but fell behind Perry at 60 feet. He regained the lead before they reached 330 feet and pulled way as they finished the race. At the end of the track, Perry's car started trailing smoke and Austin's car dropped some parts on the track. Austin will race Nicholson in round three.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  122 Arthur Gallant                       4843 Monroe Guest                 
E2                   0.035  5.474 266.37     ****WINNER****  0.029  5.193 277.09
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Mercier   ) 0.238  6.778 252.33      (D Martinets ) 0.043  5.238 271.57
 Qualified:             #7  5.400 269.56                        #1  5.223 268.01

This was a wire-to-wire win for Guest. He'll race Finke in the third round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink