Sun, 26 Feb 2012, 19:04 PM Top Dragster Round 4 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 4 eliminations in HUGHES PERFORMANCE Top Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at Firebird International Raceway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 766M Paul Gladden                         5186 George Slatten               
E4                   0.073  6.570 209.82     ****WINNER****  0.010  6.962 190.46
         T/D  Dial: 6.51 (+/-):  0.060             T/D  Dial: 6.96 (+/-):  0.002
 Prior rounds:
E3    (C Phelps    ) 0.050  6.565  0.085      (M Silvia    ) 0.014  6.970  0.010
E2    (K Upton     ) -0.031  6.656  0.186                     0.003  6.954  0.044
E1    (A Pulliam   ) 0.019  6.467  0.017      (D Hills     ) 0.053  6.951  0.011
 Qualified:             #5  6.472 212.83                       #24  6.913 190.32

4:52 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 13 percent, barometer 28.10 inches, adjusted altitude 3,332 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Gladden new 824ci dragster has been strong all weekend. Slatten gets a big advantage off the line and takes the easy win this time.

George Slatten's package: 0.012.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  744 Del Cox Jr                           7791 George Clark                 
E4                   0.026  6.893 188.28     ****WINNER****  0.000  7.019 194.66
         T/D  Dial: 6.87 (+/-):  0.023             T/D  Dial: 6.99 (+/-):  0.029
 Prior rounds:
E3    (V Torres Jr ) 0.069  6.879  0.009      (J Bradford  ) 0.013  6.998  0.018
E2    (C Rumis     ) 0.038  6.898  0.028      (P Snell     ) 0.005  6.990  0.010
E1    (D Johnson   ) 0.047  6.909  0.049      (L Burnham   ) 0.006  6.958  0.018
 Qualified:            #17  6.854 193.74                       #25  6.964 194.66

Winner gets the bye run to the finals.

Clark scores a perfect light to take the six foot win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
   54 Phil Unruh                           5002 Kent Kroeker                 
E4                   0.035 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.011  6.896 197.65
         T/D  Dial: 6.46 (+/-): 93.539             T/D  Dial: 6.88 (+/-):  0.016
 Prior rounds:
E3    (J Davis     ) 0.014  6.468 -0.002      (J Lobner    ) 0.027  6.896  0.016
E2    (M Trujillo  ) 0.021  6.499  0.029      (M MacBrair  ) 0.003  6.882  0.022
E1    (C Hawk      ) 0.022  6.456  0.016      (D Aguayo    ) 0.003  6.855  0.005
 Qualified:             #4  6.446 215.07                       #18  6.860 197.86

Ouch!Unruh's engine goes BANG big time and he pulls the car quickly over to the wall. Sounded expensive and the car is locked up on the track.

Kroeker will race Slatten in round five.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink