Sun, 3 Oct 2004, 03:31 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Shelly Howard                           6 Bill Reichert
E3   ****WINNER****  0.029  5.290 269.56                     0.091  5.311 274.00
 Prior rounds:
E2    (G Kelly     ) 0.107  5.402 272.39      (J Cannon    ) 0.082  5.319 273.88
E1    (K Perry     ) 0.087  5.497 269.35      (B Bowler    ) 0.075  5.429 274.66
 Qualified:             #5  5.300 277.49                        #8  5.321 275.67

2:22 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.37 inches, adjusted altitude 1,511 feet, track temperature 87 degrees.

Howard won the All Star race and is trying to double-up. She takes another step in that direction, running a career best to take out Reichert.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  318 Dave Hirata                             4 David Wells
E3                   0.025 12.134  71.61     ****WINNER****  0.123  5.352 264.75
 Prior rounds:
E2    (J Wilson    ) 0.048  5.324 276.01      (M Thacker   ) 0.047  5.310 266.90
E1    (S Federlin  ) 0.056  5.322 274.50      (A Force     ) 0.059  5.363 269.40
 Qualified:             #7  5.316 272.72                       #14  5.388 264.80

Hirate starts shaking the tires, then shuts down about 100 feet out. Wells will give up lane choice to Howard in the finals.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink