Sat, 12 Oct 2002, 07:17 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 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
   7 Todd Datweiler      5.448 250.62  Q   10 Jason Cannon        5.485 258.02
                  0.523 13.294  88.43  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.462  5.515 256.84

5:48 PM It's 77 degrees, 62 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.10 and rising, with a track temperature of 95 degrees under clear skies and a setting Sun.

Datweiler was up in smoke almost immediately. Cannon was on time and right down the groove for an unopposed win.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Rick Santos         5.353 264.08  Q   14 Lee Callaway        5.521 257.51
 *****WINNER***** 0.494  5.402 260.71  E1                  0.479  5.557 256.41

This is a classy matchup, the reigning national champion against the 2002 Division Four champion. Callaway has been consistent through qualifying, Santos a bit inconsistent after a season-long layoff. It looks like the downtime didn't hurt Santos much, Callaway didn't get much of an edge off the line and Santos made a solid, strong win for the victory.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Arthur Gallant      5.335 260.56  Q   15 Gene Snow           5.523 257.65
 *****WINNER***** 0.606  5.472 253.66  E1                  0.486  6.382 158.39

Gallant was vulnerable, late and slower than usual, running his slowest pass of the weekend, but Snow's car dropped cylinders and he shut it off before the 1,000-foot marker. He will have lane choice against Cannon in the second round.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Gary Ormsby Jr      5.319 256.55  Q   16 Larry Traugott      5.543 256.84
 *****WINNER***** 0.549  5.366 246.37  E1                  0.442  5.666 249.86

The throttle on Ormsby's car hung at the end of the burnout and he couldn't get the RPMs down to shift, but a team member ran down and knocked the throttle down. Traugott made a race of it, leading almost to half track, but then Ormsby's big top end charge took over and he won by a couple car lengths.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 David Wells         5.513 256.99  Q    4 Bill Reichert       5.394 265.72
 *****WINNER***** 0.504  5.539 254.23  E1                  0.478  5.685 254.38

Good drag race, but Reichert lost a tenth to Wells in the first 300 feet and was unable to cut into that margin from there on.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Bruce Bowler        5.486 260.34  Q    6 Shelly Howard       5.446 260.04
 *****WINNER***** 0.502  5.678 227.15  E1                  0.776  5.503 254.09

Howard was very late and Bowler pulled off the holeshot victory despite problems on the top end of his run that slowed his speed dramatically. MOV: 0.0995 seconds (approximately 37 feet). He faces Santos next round and will not have lane choice.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Mark Niver          5.479 257.65  Q    8 Brandon Johnson     5.462 257.51
                  0.475  5.518 256.55  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.412  5.464 258.32

Johnson cut the tree down and then ran away from Niver for a surprisingly easy win. Johnson faces Ormsby next round and will not have lane choice.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Chris Ricketts      5.446 261.62  Q   12 Mitch Myers         5.510 252.88
 *****WINNER***** 0.499  5.405 258.54  E1                  0.413  6.048 182.70

Last pair. Myers had a great light, but his car wasn't up to the task. Ricketts advances to meet Wells in round two and will have lane choice after running his best elapsed time of the weekend.