Sun, 15 Sep 2019, 13:05 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 35th annual Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Julie Nataas                           34 Brandon Greco                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.060  5.263 272.67                    -0.015  5.334 267.64
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Bourke    ) 0.041  5.275 266.53      (T Fox Jr    ) 0.006  5.407 264.34
 Qualified:             #1  5.176 279.32                        #9  5.318 266.95

Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 29.57 inches, adjusted altitude 2,551 feet, track temperature 109 degrees.

This is the first time Nataas and Greco have faced each other in eliminations.

Greco is too quick on the tree and turned on the red light to give Nataas the win.

She is straight down the groove with a good clean pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Robin Samsel                            7 Duane Shields                
E2                   0.087  5.363 268.87     ****WINNER****  0.083  5.246 275.96
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Fricke    ) 0.103  5.519 266.32      (E Nichols   ) 0.047  5.303 275.11
 Qualified:            #10  5.359 269.73                        #2  5.183 278.52

Shields is 5 - 0 against Samsel in prior events.

Shields with the slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He makes a really good looking pass for the win.

Samsel with a clean pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Megan Meyer                            23 Josh Hart                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.050  5.289 274.83                     0.022  5.318 274.55
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Dietrich  ) 0.046  5.245 275.84      (R St.Pierre ) 0.066  5.279 276.46
 Qualified:             #4  5.190 273.61                        #5  5.205 277.72

Meyer and Hart have each won 2 times against the other in prior events.

Hart with the starting line advantage and the lead until right in the lights when she chased him down for the win in a close one. Megan Meyer's MOV: 0.0015 seconds (approximately 7 inches). She will give up lane choice to Nataas in the semifinal,

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Shawn Cowie                             4 Troy Coughlin Jr.            
E2                   0.044  5.203 279.50     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.181 280.14
 Prior rounds:
E1    (F Schuster  ) 0.078  5.227 277.77      (J Veale     ) 0.069  5.249 279.32
 Qualified:             #3  5.184 279.27                        #6  5.209 280.37

Cowie is 3 - 0 against Coughlin Jr. in prior events.

This is a great drag race...Cowie with the starting line advantage and the lead until right in the lights when Coughlin chased him down for the win in a close one. Troy Coughlin Jr.'s MOV: 0.0072 seconds (approximately 3 feet). Coughlin runs low E.T. of this round and will have lane choice over Shields in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink