Sun, 17 Mar 2013, 13:07 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 44th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3422 Ken Perry                            1900 Dan Page                     
E2   ****WINNER****  0.022  5.275 268.92                     0.074  5.672 202.12
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Fishburn  ) 0.056  5.297 268.81      (M Burns     ) 0.106  5.503 255.05
 Qualified:             #8  5.334 269.73                        #1  5.267 274.55

Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 40 percent, barometer 29.90 inches, adjusted altitude 1,397 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Page is 1 - 0 against Perry in prior events. Perry with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Perry with his quickest pass of the weekend. Page slowed on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2380 Matthew Cummings                        3 Bill Reichert                
E2                   0.097  6.277 174.19     ****WINNER****  0.051  5.372 266.95
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Allen     ) 0.093  5.366 264.60      (D Dietrich  ) 0.061  5.319 269.73
 Qualified:            #10  5.395 263.05                        #2  5.286 263.98

This is the first time Cummings and Reichert have faced each other in eliminations. Reichert with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Cummings was real loose. He got real close to the centerline and then reeled it in before he clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  596 Randy Meyer                            12 Dan Mercier                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.048 11.246  76.82                    -0.060  5.318 264.86
 Prior rounds:
E1    (K Stalba    ) 0.074  5.364 264.18      (D Shields   ) 0.106  5.329 268.60
 Qualified:             #5  5.322 265.06                        #4  5.316 263.56

This is the first time Meyer and Mercier have faced each other in eliminations. Mercier is too quick on the tree and turns on the red light. Meyer is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle, but still gets the win. He will give up lane choice to Perry in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rich McPhillips                       318 Dave Hirata                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.328 268.81                     0.062 12.540  94.55
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Samsel    ) 0.196  5.384 263.15      (F Schuster  ) 0.063  5.457 229.12
 Qualified:             #3  5.313 267.00                        #6  5.332 269.46

Hirata is 1 - 0 against McPhillips in prior events. McPhillips is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win. McPhillips with the second quickest E.T. of the round. He will have lane choice over Reichert in the semifinal. Hirata was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink