Sat, 7 Oct 2000, 04:06 PM MEMPHIS - Federal-Mogul Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Federal-Mogul Dragster at the 13th annual AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Keith Stark         5.570 269.24  Q    5 Dave Hirata         5.546 260.81
 *****WINNER***** 0.527  5.556 271.24  E1                  0.000 No Time

2:31 PM Hirata was unable to fire the car and was pushed off to the side, so Stark got a single for the win - and he reset the national speed record on an ugly run, the car chattering the tires hard past the 60-foot timing reflector. Stark pedaled it, a rarity with an A-Fuel car, and really got it hooked up for the rest of the run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Bill Reichert       5.626 226.77  Q    4 Shawn Bowen         5.497 258.57
 *****WINNER***** 0.555  5.863 236.96  E1                  0.466  5.962 253.71

Reichert was second away from the starting line by a tenth of a second, smoked the tires, and still won the race. Bowen's car was dropping cylinders and Reichert passing him at 330 feet, then held on for the win, the margin of victory = 0.010 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 David Wells         5.467 259.41  Q    9 Jeff Bohr           5.981 239.06
                  0.521  6.141 226.77  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.464  5.712 239.61

Wells smoked the tires hard on the launch and never did close the gap that Bohr opened early in his run with a holeshot and a clean run. Stark will have lane choice against Bohr in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Shelly Howard       5.487 256.55  Q    8 Jeff Wilson         5.865 186.54
 *****WINNER***** 0.482  5.452 260.11  E1                  0.486  5.801 216.93

The number three car in Division 4 in 1999 versus the number three car in Division 3 in 1999, Wilson having trouble getting the car down the track in qualifying while Howard ran well. Both drove through tire shake on the launch, Howard with the front wheels in the air, then Shelly ran away and won easily with low ET of the meet so far. Wilson fell behind early and then popped the blower and left a trail of oil on the top end. Tom Conway actually smiled at the starting line when Shelly's numbers came up. She will have lane choice over Reichert in round two. Late call - there's oil in the left lane also, Shelly's car leaving a dribble of oil where she shook so hard.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Troy Buff           5.457 251.25  Q   10 Don Fiorelli        7.076 194.66
 *****WINNER***** 0.464  5.444 255.77  E1                  0.459  6.477 167.14

Last pair. Same deal as the previous pair, Buff with three good runs in qualifying while Fiorelli never did get a full pass on the books. The race went according to form, Fiorelli only in it for the first 100 feet or so, then drifting toward the centerline and shutting it down, while Buff made the best run of the weekend. But it came at a cost, the engine letting go when he lifted in the lights, leaving a trail of oil from the MPH timing reflector through the shutdown area, usually a sign that the connecting rods ventilated the block or oil pan. Buff has a bye in round two.