Sun, 3 Oct 2004, 10:53 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 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
  551 Bruce Bowler                            6 Bill Reichert
E1                  -0.054  5.421 257.63     ****WINNER****  0.075  5.429 274.66
 Qualified:             #9  5.353 269.13                        #8  5.321 275.67

9:13 a.m.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   63 Steve Federlin                        318 Dave Hirata
E1                   0.029  5.406 263.67     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.322 274.50
 Qualified:            #10  5.354 267.32                        #7  5.316 272.72

Weather conditions: air temperature 53 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 29.49 inches, adjusted altitude 211 feet, track temperature 60 degrees.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Duane Shields                           5 Marty Thacker
E1                   0.096  5.411 271.30     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.370 264.91
 Qualified:             #6  5.306 273.61                       #11  5.366 266.00

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   35 Ken Perry                               8 Shelly Howard
E1                  -0.158  9.878  85.94     ****WINNER****  0.087  5.497 269.35
 Qualified:            #12  5.372 262.08                        #5  5.300 277.49

Perry leaves too early and shuts down about 300 feet out. Howard goes right down the groove.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2155 Guy Kelly                              23 John Haley
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.384 259.71                     0.099  5.413 265.22
 Qualified:            #13  5.385 264.29                        #4  5.299 250.27

Haley gets out of the groove early and drifts toward the center-line. Kelly goes right down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over Howard in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 David Wells                          7321 Ashley Force
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  5.363 269.40                     0.081  5.500 269.62
 Qualified:            #14  5.388 264.80                        #3  5.272 271.13

Force gets about 200 feet out and has to pedal. Wells drove around at that point and pulled away for the win. Wells will have lane choice over Thacker in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Michael Gunderson                      10 Jeff Wilson
E1                   0.113  5.460 271.79     ****WINNER****  0.091  5.373 265.22
 Qualified:             #2  5.237 276.63                       #15  5.389 265.01

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   21 Jason Cannon                          603 Mitch Myers
E1   ****WINNER****  0.084  5.732 253.61                     0.104  6.017 208.07
 Qualified:            #16  5.399 265.01                        #1  5.211 270.48

Myers leaves the line and starts pulling away. He shakes the tires, pedals, then pulls the wheels high into the air at half-track. Cannon drove around at that point and pulled away for the win. In round two it will be Reichert with lane choice over Cannon, Kelly vs. Howard, Hirata vs. Wilson and Wells vs. Thacker.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink