Mon, 3 Sep 2001, 01:55 PM INDY - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragster at the 47th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Arthur Gallant      5.503 251.58  Q   13 Bill McCornack      5.623 251.44
   (D Hirata    ) 0.614  5.437 256.45  E1   (J Meyer     ) 0.443  5.595 249.95
                  0.534  5.569 249.72  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.507  5.562 248.20

12:17 PM McCornack was a little quicker at the start and a little quicker down the track in this very close drag race. Gallant was never ahead, but was closing fast on the top end. Margin of victory = 0.034 seconds (approximately 12 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Duane Shields       5.445 256.02  Q    9 Bill Reichert       5.598 248.48
   (S Bowen     ) 0.561  5.425 258.47  E1   (R Lindert   ) 0.503  5.469 259.81
                  0.000 No Time        E2 *****WINNER***** 0.565  5.596 255.00

Shields broke on the burnout, the car parked against the left-hand wall while Reichert made his run. Reichert made a nice run, but loses lane choice to McCornack in round two by 0.027 seconds.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Brandon Henkelman   5.575 260.26  Q    2 Shelly Howard       5.471 255.00
   (D Wells     ) 0.497  5.428 262.49  E1   (B Bernstein ) 0.441  5.475 256.94
 *****WINNER***** 0.470  5.741 248.98  E2                  0.545  5.770 248.29

Howard, with tuning help from Tom Conway, has been tough this year, while Henkelman has not been as active this year as last. However, this time out the youngster sawed the tree down and then Howard's car did not respond the way it has in most races this year, not even breaking 200 mph at half track. Margin of victory = 1.104 seconds (more than 100 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Keith Stark         5.478 258.02  Q    6 Paul Jones          5.573 255.68
   (T Rudy      ) 0.474  5.329 265.90  E1   (J Cannon    ) 0.480  5.446 257.14
 *****WINNER***** 0.466  5.439 264.34  E2                  0.444  5.699 253.95

STark is finally coming back to the form he displayed prior to his devastating accident. He had an excellent launch (for an A-Fuel car) and ran low ET of the round for an easy win and lane choice against Henkelman next round. Jones did what he could, with an even better light, but could not run the number in the heat of the day.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink