Sat, 26 May 2012, 17:24 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Northeast Division, event at Maple Grove Raceway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  185 Mike Kosky                             15 John Finke                   
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.038  5.462 249.72
 Qualified:             #7  5.420 262.08                        #2  5.369 257.78

5:05 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 61 percent, barometer 30.09 inches, adjusted altitude 2,112 feet.

The blower on Kosky's car popped as he started his burnout, and the chutes came out before his car completely crossed the starting line. That gave Finke a solo run for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   13 Dan Mercier                          1482 Richard Bourke               
E1                   0.065  5.520 253.14     ****WINNER****  0.058  5.434 261.93
 Qualified:             #8  5.500 255.05                        #1  5.311 269.40

Bourke got off the line just a bit before Mercier, and he extended his lead to take the win. Both drivers took their cars straight down the groove but Bourke was just quicker making the trip.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Duane Shields                        1900 Dan Page                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  5.427 268.60                     0.054  5.455 264.08
 Qualified:             #5  5.410 270.43                        #4  5.388 267.43

Shields got out of the gate a hundredth of a second after Page, but was ahead by twice that at 60 feet. Page closed the gap and the two were even at 660 feet, then Shields' dragster pulled ahead to take the win. He'll have lane choice over Bourke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Bill Reichert                         110 Rich McPhillips              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.490 256.80                     0.010 No Time      
 Qualified:             #6  5.419 262.49                        #3  5.382 263.36

McPhillips launched, pulled the front wheels up, got them back down and then smoked the rear tires before he went 100 feet. He rolled down the track but did not cross the finish line. Reichert's car went straight down the track for the win, but was not quick enough to win lane choice over Finke in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink