Sat, 9 Oct 2004, 04:41 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  110 Rich McPhillips                        36 Jeff Bohr
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  5.474 256.60                     0.056  5.682 236.84
 Qualified:             #9  5.467 259.76                        #8  5.464 258.76

4:05 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 29.50 inches, adjusted altitude 1,578 feet, track temperature 80 degrees.

McPhillips shook the tires as he launched and was trailing at mid track. But then Bohr's car started to trail smoke and he started to slow. That let McPhillips get by him to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1482 Richard Bourke                       1766 Mike Burns
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.464 253.56                     0.081  5.479 258.12
 Qualified:             #6  5.390 261.62                       #11  5.494 257.43

We're racing again after a 30-minute delay to clean up oil from Jeff Bohr's car. Bourke got off the starting line first and stayed out in front for the entire quarter mile.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  122 Arthur Gallant                         18 Steven Cantrell
E1   ****WINNER****  0.179  5.465 264.23                     0.078  5.582 252.95
 Qualified:             #2  5.310 260.61                       #15  5.540 253.04

Gallant shook the tires but drove through it. Cantrell was out in front at the 1,000 foot mark but then Gallant drove by him for the win. Arthur Gallant's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.047), 330 ft(-0.124), 660ft(-0.093), 1,000ft(-0.031). MOV: 0.0168 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  176 Jeff Veale                              2 Morgan Lucas
E1                   0.063  5.554 239.06     ****WINNER****  0.072  5.278 266.42
 Qualified:            #14  5.519 256.41                        #3  5.324 264.49

Veale had the quicker start but Lucas was in front before they reached 60 feet. Lucas got the win and will have lane choice over Bourke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Bill Reichert                         185 Mike Kosky
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  5.375 270.37                     0.101  5.420 260.86
 Qualified:             #4  5.342 272.83                       #13  5.510 255.63

Reichert was trailing at 660 feet but then got by Kosky to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1128 Karen Benkovich                       149 Mark Albert
E1                   0.120  5.511 254.90     ****WINNER****  0.092  5.455 257.73
 Qualified:            #10  5.491 259.36                        #7  5.428 257.83

Albert had this one from start to finish. He got the win and earned lane choice against Gallant in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1015 John Finke                           7321 Ashley Force
E1                   0.105  5.595 243.90     ****WINNER****  0.123  5.370 268.01
 Qualified:            #16  5.551 258.07                        #1  5.264 266.95

Finke got off the starting line first but fell behind at 60 feet. He pulled ahead and was leading at 330 feet, then Force got by him again to take the lead and get the win. She'll have lane choice over McPhillips in the second round of eliminations.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Marty Thacker                        1712 Dave DeAngelis
E1                   0.105  6.419 148.89     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.532 259.36
 Qualified:             #5  5.352 264.44                       #12  5.501 259.01

DeAngelis had the quicker reaction time and was ahead at 60 feet. Thacker got by him and was leading at 330 feet but then his car started losing power and DeAngelis got back out in front for the win. DeAngleis gave up lane choice to Reichert in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink