Fri, 02 Mar 2012, 13:52 PM Competition Eliminator Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Larry Sullivan

BAYTOWN, Texas - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Competition Eliminator at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, South Central Division, first event at Royal Purple Raceway listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, amount over/under index, and position in order following run, class and class index:

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Left Lane: Scott Cashio Runs 13.159/95.55/4.189, Now #2 D/SMA Index: 8.97
Right Lane: Chase Williams Runs 7.738/175.73/-0.492, Now #1 E/A Index: 8.23

12:29 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 78 percent, barometer 29.73 inches, adjusted altitude 2,103 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

Cashio's car stumbled, then idled down the lane. Nice pass by Williams.

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Left Lane: Donald Thomas Runs 8.505/160.33/-0.255, Now #2 C/ED Index: 8.76
Right Lane: Michael Cobb Runs 9.403/107.22/0.943, Now #3 F/EA Index: 8.46

Cobb's car was well off the pace.

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Left Lane: Raymond Martin Runs 7.985/137.81/-0.325, Now #3 K/AA Index: 8.31
Right Lane: Darin West Runs 7.686/175.43/-0.574, Now #1 D/AA Index: 8.26

West with a nice, straight run to go to #1. Martin was off his usual pace, then had problems stopping the car and he went out into the "pasture" at the turnoff.

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Left Lane: Adam White Runs 6.901/196.07/-0.519, Now #2 A/ND Index: 7.42
Right Lane: Cody Johnson Runs 12.323/67.17/4.463, Now #8 H/AA Index: 7.86

White made a strong first run in the nostalgia digger. Johnson joined the list of those with first-round issues.

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Left Lane: Michael Johnson Runs 19.675/50.84/10.805, Now #10 A/EA Index: 8.87
Right Lane: Charles Watson Runs 8.461/162.37/-0.519, Now #3 D/SM Index: 8.98

Johnson's car did not want to run just past the tree and he idled through.

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Left Lane: Duane Robison Runs 7.503/184.35/-0.427, Now #5 C/A Index: 7.93
Right Lane: Will Hatcher Runs 18.005/51.66/9.755, Now #11 A/DA Index: 8.25

Hatcher launched into tire shake and slowed. Clean opening run for Robison.

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Left Lane: Rhett Fulton Runs 7.431/176.95/-0.049, Now #8 C/ED Index: 7.48
Right Lane: Dick Maris Runs 8.474/119.97/0.914, Now #9 C/DA Index: 7.56

Maris slowed early in the run. Fulton made a full pass, but was way off the mark.

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Right Lane: Joey Tanksley No Time, Now #15 C/D Index: 7.99

Tanksley's car went silent at the end of the burnout and he was pushed off the track to end the session.

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Right Lane: Mike Trumble Runs 16.518/70.55/6.908, Now #13 B/SMA Index: 9.61

Oops, Trumble was hiding, back under the tower. He came off the line, went through the clutch, and slowed.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink