Sat, 3 May 2003, 05:25 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

COMMERCE, Ga. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  276 Bill McCornack                        204 Jason Cannon
E1                   0.008  5.552 255.82     ****WINNER****  0.032  5.448 259.96
 Qualified:             #9  5.581 247.93                        #8  5.542 258.86

McCornack deep staged, left first, but was unable to hold off Cannon at the stripe.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  227 Don Fiorelli                         1482 Richard Bourke
E1                   0.035  6.076 229.63     ****WINNER****  0.107  5.448 262.90
 Qualified:            #15  6.038 230.45                        #2  5.373 266.48

Fiorelli had a big advantage at the tree but he got loose before half track and Bourke drove around him.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  337 Tim Rudy                                1 Arthur Gallant
E1                   0.045  5.954 216.13     ****WINNER****  0.162  5.454 229.12
 Qualified:            #14  5.961 226.43                        #3  5.405 252.38

Rudy shook the tires for the first couple hundred feet. Gallant was slowing at the finish, the reason not apparent from here.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  302 Phil Mass                            2155 Guy Kelly
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.126  5.419 254.81
 Qualified:            #13  5.891 188.31                        #4  5.411 261.37

Mass was a no show. A smooth solo pass for Kelly. It sounded like he blew a burst panel right at the finish.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  222 Dana Stripe                             7 Marty Thacker
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.063  5.511 258.91
 Qualified:            #12  5.863 236.17                        #5  5.431 260.76

Stripe was a no show. Thacker was running for lane choice in the second round but doesn't get it. Guy Kelly will tell him where to go tomorrow.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7000 Darryl Hitchman                       312 Keith Stark
E1   ****WINNER****  0.102  5.506 233.64                     0.058  5.634 264.03
 Qualified:             #6  5.486 236.09                       #11  5.713 251.63

Stark dropped a cylinder almost immediately. He picked it up, dropped it again at half track, and by that time Hitchman was well in front of him. Gallant will have lane choice over Hitchman in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  117 Fran Monaghan Jr                     1301 Douglas Foley
E1                   0.030  5.646 247.02     ****WINNER****  0.010  5.513 256.80
 Qualified:            #10  5.616 251.72                        #7  5.494 256.36

Foley simply out-ran Monaghan here. Foley will give up lane choice to Bourke in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3382 Robert Leverich                       391 Bill Reichert
E1                   0.167  7.087 179.68     ****WINNER****  0.148  5.360 271.24
 Qualified:            #16 17.281  69.60                        #1  5.279 274.27

Leverich's engine didn't sound right before the hit, and that situation didn't change after the hit. Reichert will pick his lane against Cannon in round two tomorrow.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink