Sun, 13 Oct 2002, 03:47 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 17th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 David Wells         5.513 256.99  Q    8 Brandon Johnson     5.462 257.51
   (B Reichert  ) 0.504  5.539 254.23  E1   (M Niver     ) 0.412  5.464 258.32
   (C Ricketts  ) 0.465  5.473 258.17  E2   (G Ormsby Jr ) 0.461  5.372 261.24
 *****WINNER***** 0.511  5.460 259.59  E3                  0.430  5.777 246.77

2:39 PM It's 63 degrees, 60 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.38, the track temperature 80 degrees, still overcast (once again the promised "clearing" has not shown up).

This one was wild! Johnson slapped a big holeshot on Wells, but Johnson's front end went skyward, the car up on the wheelie bar. He pedaled and the front end went up once again. Johnson stayed in the throttle, but wit all the pedaling, Wells went by for the win.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Rick Santos         5.353 264.08  Q    2 Arthur Gallant      5.335 260.56
   (L Callaway  ) 0.494  5.402 260.71  E1   (G Snow      ) 0.606  5.472 253.66
   (B Bowler    ) 0.471  5.314 265.72  E2   (J Cannon    ) 0.511  5.414 250.76
 *****WINNER***** 0.468  5.314 266.11  E3                  0.510 11.065  72.20

Last year's champ versus this year's champ, and Santos showed what we've been missing by not having him on the circuit this year. Gallant launched into severe shake and the engine went silent quickly. Meanwhile, Santos streaked down the left lane, easily earning lane choice against Wells in the all-supercharged final round.