Sun, 10 Nov 2002, 08:41 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 38th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Tony Bartone        5.384 270.75  Q   14 James Copeland II   5.508 260.16
   (D Shields   ) 0.460  5.393 270.75  E1   (D Hirata    ) 0.488  5.607 255.00
   (R Santos    ) 0.443  5.367 270.81  E2   (A Gallant   ) 0.484  5.476 259.46
 *****WINNER***** 0.452  5.317 273.77  E3                  0.471  5.683 216.17

Bartone won the battle of the tree in the A Fuel, car. He left first and pulls away all the way to the finish line. Copeland wasn't that far behind but about 100 feet off the line his racers hazed the tires hard and the event is over for him.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Morgan Lucas        5.315 261.93  Q   13 Cliff Bozzelli      5.499 255.15
   (M Hentges   ) 0.460  5.378 254.57  E1   (A Bradshaw  ) 0.443  5.484 257.28
   (S Federlin  ) 0.456  5.320 267.16  E2   (J Haley     ) 0.486  5.515 252.66
 *****WINNER***** 0.477  5.287 266.16  E3                  0.464  5.527 256.89

Just before the hit Lucas's ride almost sounded like it back fired. That would have been difficult if the car had a blower but it didn't seem to bother the A fuel setup. Bozzelli was game in the right lane but just didn't have enough for the Darien and Meadows training car. Lucas earned his keep on that pass. He earned lane choice over Bartone in the final.