Sun, 5 Jun 2011, 02:36 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 42nd annual NHRA SuperNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Duane Shields                           1 Bill Reichert                
E3   ****WINNER****  0.068  5.276 275.73                     0.057  5.371 255.87
 Prior rounds:
E2    (M Guest     ) 0.119  5.271 275.67      (D DeAngelis ) 0.074  5.414 255.10
E1    (K Winward   ) 0.097  5.338 274.39      (K Stalba    ) 0.089  5.382 252.19
 Qualified:             #4  5.342 271.52                        #8  5.394 255.19

2:30 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 29.96 inches, adjusted altitude 1,717 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Reichert got out of the gate first and was 0.014 seconds ahead at 660 feet. But then, Shields made a move and go by Reichert to take the win. It was Shields' lowest ET of the weekend so far.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  185 Mike Kosky                           3413 Mike Comella                 
E3   ****WINNER****  0.330 10.845  73.58                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E2    (R Bourke    ) 0.050  5.277 267.64      (J Finke     ) 0.036  5.322 267.27
E1    (T Pickett   ) 0.158  5.350 266.32      (R McPhillips) 0.041  5.276 267.48
 Qualified:             #3  5.316 263.98                        #7  5.381 259.16

Kosky won this race in 1987 and 1988 and was runner up six times, including the previous two years. Comella rolled through the beams before the tree was activated. Kosky started, stopped and started again, but finally coasted down the track to take the win. Kosky will be in the final round against Shields and Shields will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink