Sun, 09 Jun 2013, 13:49 PM Pro Drag Radial Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

PETERSBURG, Va. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Drag Radial at the 2013 ADRL Tour presented by Speedtech, Simply Phones U.S. Drags VI:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2840 Frank Mewshaw                        9746 Frank Soldridge              
E1                   0.080  7.412  78.83     ****WINNER****  0.127  5.637 161.00
 Qualified:             #9  4.518 174.05                        #8  4.468 179.76

1:28 p.m. Both drivers had problems getting hooked up for the launch, but Soldridge was able to backpedal and hook the tires up, while Mewshaw kept on spinning each time he backed off and tried again.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  100 Keith Berry                           949 Steve Jackson                
E1                   0.152  6.384 109.22     ****WINNER****  0.062  4.523 177.21
 Qualified:             #5  4.407 175.39                       #12  4.539 178.50

Berry never did get the tires hooked up. It sounded like Jackson went through the clutch (if he has one) but the tactic worked and he ran better than he qualified for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 400C Kyle Huettel                         7281 Kenny Hubbard                
E1                   0.157 10.286  53.36     ****WINNER****  0.122  4.559 178.78
 Qualified:             #1  4.280 175.16                       #16  4.624 163.39

A couple of Texans faced off here. #1-qualifier Huettel boiled the hides, while #16-qualifier Hubbard made his best run of the event for the win.

Hubbard will have lane choice against Soldridge in round 2.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2078 Mark Micke                           2010 Tim Lynch                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.134  4.408 183.37                     0.127  6.100  94.49
 Qualified:            #15  4.575 177.88                        #2  4.320 183.84

Lynch watched the first two pairs of cars and elected to switch lanes, now preferring the right lane. That didn't work too well. Lynch had problems finding traction, Micke went right down the track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4796 Steve Woolley                         220 Kevin Fiscus                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  4.638 174.39                     0.097  6.640  88.01
 Qualified:            #13  4.543 173.90                        #4  4.388 182.23

Same story here - Fiscus choce to switch to the right lane, same poutcome. Fiscus spun, Woolley went right down the track. He will not have lane choice when he faces Jackson in round 2.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  203 Eric Dillard                          911 Jeff Cooner                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.097  4.582 178.59                     0.032  6.229  86.06
 Qualified:            #14  4.558 180.40                        #3  4.335 183.37

Cooner also chose the right lane, again could not find any traction over there. The winners so far have not posted exceptional times, but they have succeeded in getting down the track without a lot of tire spin.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1967 Mark Woodruff                        B108 Scotty Gavadagno             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.189  4.833 174.39                     0.063  5.146 169.96
 Qualified:             #6  4.421 183.22                       #11  4.533 165.42

Woodruff chose the left lane and he did a good job of pedaling to overcome Gavadagno's holeshot and some tire spin. He won't have lane choice when he faces Dillard in round 2.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1010 Kevin Mullins                         101 Paul Major                   
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.322  9.135  72.79
 Qualified:             #7  4.456 184.17                       #10  4.529 181.84

Mullins also chose the left lane. Mullins pre-staged, staged, then rolled the beams and Major got a freebie. Major spun the tires, pedaled, then gave it up. He won't have lane choice when he faces Micke in round 2.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink