Sat, 2 Oct 2004, 11:23 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Todd Datweiler Runs 5.561/267.53, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.418/267.85, Was #13
Right Lane: Robin Samsel Runs 5.677/259.16, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.502/257.58, Was #19

9:44 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 53 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.53 inches, adjusted altitude 114 feet, track temperature 54 degrees.

Samsel shook the tires off the line, pedaled a couple of times, then went on through for a decent run.

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Left Lane: Ken Perry Runs 5.372/262.08, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.405/261.27, Was #11
Right Lane: Michael Gunderson No Time, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.237/276.63, Was #2

Gunderson completes his burnout then shuts down, not sure why. Perry improves and gets in the top half of the field for now.

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Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.306/273.61, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.355/264.75, Was #6
Right Lane: Jeff Wilson Runs 5.389/265.01, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.424/263.82, Was #14

Two good looking runs, both right down the groove. Shields moves up to third, Wilson to 11th.

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Left Lane: Bruce Bowler Runs 5.353/269.13, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.460/260.51, Was #17
Right Lane: Jared Dreher Runs 5.421/260.97, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.524/257.87, Was #20

Dreher runs a career best and gets in the show on the bump.

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Left Lane: David Wells Runs 16.452/49.61, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.388/264.80, Was #11
Right Lane: Jason Cannon Runs 5.399/265.01, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.552/256.65, Was #22

Wells shakes the tires right off the line, gets about 100 feet out, then aborts the run. Cannon goes right down the groove to get in the show.

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Left Lane: Brian Badgett Runs 6.546/162.02, Now #24; Best prior run: 5.605/263.15, Was #24
Right Lane: John Haley Runs 5.299/250.27, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.350/265.53, Was #5

Badgett shakes the tires off the line, then starts losing cylinders and has to give up on the run. Haley made a great pass, a career best, and moves up to the third spot.

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Left Lane: Richard Putz Runs 5.593/245.76, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.455/263.26, Was #19
Right Lane: Russ Lindert Runs 12.268/62.83, Now #22; Best prior run: 5.533/259.76, Was #22

Lindert gets about 150 feet out and pitches the blower belt.

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Left Lane: Marty Thacker Runs 5.550/265.85, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.366/266.00, Was #8
Right Lane: Mitch Myers Runs 5.767/240.08, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.211/270.48, Was #1

Myers gets about 400 feet out, hazes the tires, then loses a few cylinders.

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Right Lane: Dave Hirata Runs 5.349/269.51, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.316/272.72, Was #5

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Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 5.272/271.13, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.352/270.75, Was #6

Force goes right down the groove and makes a great pass to move up a few notches.

That does it for now, the rest of the qualifying will be completed during the All Star eliminations a little later.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink