Sat, 05 Oct 2013, 17:12 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  176 Jeff Veale                           1320 Wayne Morris                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.046  5.388 274.11                    -0.175  5.388 263.77
 Qualified:             #9  5.435 273.11                        #8  5.432 260.06

4:27 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 29.45 inches, adjusted altitude 3,037 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Morris was very red at the start so Veale got the win. These two ran identical ETs so there's no telling what would have happened had Morris not left so early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rich McPhillips                         7 Ken Perry                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  5.494 259.11                     0.121  5.409 261.32
 Qualified:             #7  5.428 258.12                       #10  5.476 260.31

McPhillips got off the starting line first but perry quickly overtook him to take the win. Perry led at 330 and 660 feet, but then McPhillips was able to power by Perry to take the win. Rich McPhillips' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.030), 330 ft(-0.035), 660ft(-0.020), 1,000ft(0.005). MOV: 0.0101 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1900 Dan Page                               18 Karen Stalba                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.421 267.80                     0.079  5.576 252.76
 Qualified:             #4  5.385 264.03                       #13  5.518 253.28

This race was Page's from the starting line to the finish line. Two good runs...Page's was just better and he got the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   34 Marty Thacker                          13 John Finke                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.011  5.439 263.05                     0.114  5.408 259.61
 Qualified:            #12  5.509 227.61                        #5  5.396 259.81

Finke rolled in deep but was late at the tree. Thacker got out of the gate first and got the holeshot win. He'll race Page in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1482 Richard Bourke                         19 Jackie Fricke                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.014  5.481 262.18                     0.080  5.422 247.79
 Qualified:            #11  5.499 263.62                        #6  5.408 258.02

Bourke got this one on a holeshot and will be back tomorrow for round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   36 Robin Samsel                         1301 Doug Foley                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.095  5.470 257.43                     0.071  5.603 247.38
 Qualified:             #3  5.378 263.41                       #14  5.523 249.95

Foley was first out of the gate and ahead at 60 feet, then Samsel pulled away for the win. Samsel will race Bourke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Bill Reichert                          17 Frank Schuster               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  5.502 256.45                     0.140  5.743 206.80
 Qualified:             #2  5.318 265.53                       #15  5.524 255.68

Reichert was not particularly quick off the starting line but Schuster was even slower. A better start with a lower ET means that Reichert will race McPhillips tomorrow in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  323 Brandon Booher                          6 Duane Shields                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  5.338 271.35                     0.054  5.491 258.81
 Qualified:             #1  5.307 269.56                       #16  5.527 256.94

The two came off the starting line close together, with Booher just a hair quicker than Shields. After that, it was Booher all the way as he took the win and will race Veale in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink