Sat, 18 Feb 2012, 19:42 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division, event at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1301 Douglas Foley                          13 Dan Mercier                  
E1                   0.036  6.460 169.15     ****WINNER****  0.062  5.690 254.18
 Qualified:             #7  5.446 258.76                        #2  5.360 268.49

7:20 p.m. Foley moved first and led for about 100 feet, but his car started dropping cylinders early in the run and he steadily lost ground after that. Mercier also had problems, losing a l0ot of time early in the run, but he still won by a large margin.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Duane Shields                         288 Sidnei Frigo                 
E1                   0.103 16.588  59.10     ****WINNER****  0.057  5.357 265.33
 Qualified:             #5  5.377 270.75                        #4  5.364 265.69

These two were very close in qualifying, but Sheilds lost traction almost immediately and the race was over quickly. Frigo has now made three consistent runs, improving slightly on each one.

Shields is not starting this season on a high note, suffering the same kind of loss in the first round at Pomona last weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1900 Dan Page                              110 Rich McPhillips              
E1                   0.059  5.449 263.15     ****WINNER****  0.003  5.402 266.69
 Qualified:             #6  5.429 260.91                        #3  5.361 260.66

McPhillips had a psychic light and extended his lead at every timing increment to win easily. Page made three consistent runs today, but his weekend is over. McPhillips faces Mercier in the semifinals and will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Aaron Tatum                           487 Mark Taliaferro              
E1                   0.084  5.435 264.29     ****WINNER****  0.034  5.407 272.67
 Qualified:             #8  5.447 264.96                        #1  5.339 274.05

Last pair. Taliaferro had a nice holeshot and turned what could have been a close race into a car length victory. He faces Frigo in the semifinals, Frigo has lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink