Sat, 13 Nov 2004, 05:27 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 40th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7470 Hillary Will                          318 Dave Hirata
E1   ****WINNER****  0.084  5.397 264.80                     0.009 14.247  63.24
 Qualified:             #8  5.341 265.80                        #9  5.380 269.78

1:47 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 62 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 2,001 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

West Coast Vs. East Coast for the first pair in eliminations. Only four hundredths separated these two in qualifying. It's all over at the hit, when Hirata's slicks went up in smoke. He stayed with it too long and finally gave up. Will makes a clean and safe run to the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Duane Shields                           4 David Wells
E1   ****WINNER****  0.094  5.314 266.37                     0.056  5.381 260.11
 Qualified:             #4  5.272 264.34                       #13  5.414 258.22

Wells is off the line first and almost pulls it out. Shields has the numbers to get past for the win. Good race!

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  603 Mitch Myers                           756 Don Hudson
E1   ****WINNER****  0.131  5.109 278.23                     0.076  5.515 224.77
 Qualified:             #1  5.118 271.08                       #16  5.491 247.07

Myers can get the National Record by running "just" 5.21 or better. The Bogg's Mobile takes no prisoners and runs even better than last night to absolute ensure lane choice over Will next round. Hudson made a good pass in the other lane, but was never in the hunt after 60 feet. No points in the sportman ranks for setting records, so there is no impact to the close race for the championship. Mitch Myers' incremental times: 60-ft/0.916 330-ft/2.336 660-ft/3.399/234.13 1,000-ft/4.313.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Bill Reichert                          54 Robert Perkins
E1   ****WINNER****  0.149  5.309 273.16                     0.100  5.487 258.42
 Qualified:             #5  5.286 273.72                       #12  5.413 259.26

Two good runs that are slightly slower than last night. Reichert has the best of it and keeps lane choice over Shields next round. Perkins runs clean , but slows from his earlier runs.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   43 Gene Snow                              74 Chris Demke
E1                   0.101 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.057  5.397 264.18
 Qualified:             #6  5.292 263.36                       #11  5.410 250.83

Snow's engine quits right off the line, while Demke picks up on his qualifying times. Good pass for the blown dragster.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  596 Randy Meyer                           470 Ben Harper
E1   ****WINNER****  0.020  5.324 259.21                     0.140  5.480 263.00
 Qualified:             #7  5.304 257.78                       #10  5.406 266.37

Meyer is away first and never looks back. Both cars run clean, but slower from their earlier performance.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Morgan Lucas                         7000 Darryl Hitchman
E1   ****WINNER****  0.066  5.249 270.27                     0.112  5.431 252.38
 Qualified:             #2  5.254 272.28                       #15  5.436 254.57

Lucas gets away first and runs well enough to improve over his qualifying times. Hitchman gave chase, but started to drop cylinders after mid-track. Lucas will have lane choice over Meyer next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7321 Ashley Force                           63 Steve Federlin
E1   ****WINNER****  0.078  5.340 269.24                     0.065  5.427 260.71
 Qualified:             #3  5.260 270.86                       #14  5.417 260.86

Darien and Meadows have their act together and take Force to a clear win. Federlin was away first and lead until near the 1000 foot lights. Force will have lane choice over Demke tomorrow.

2:14 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink