Sun, 14 Nov 2004, 03:57 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 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
  603 Mitch Myers                          7470 Hillary Will
E2   ****WINNER****  0.096  5.175 268.17                     0.117  5.367 267.37
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Hudson    ) 0.131  5.109 278.23      (D Hirata    ) 0.084  5.397 264.80
 Qualified:             #1  5.118 271.08                        #8  5.341 265.80

12:42 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 28.98 inches, adjusted altitude 2,167 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

The new National Record holder come to the line and rattles the tires off the line. He has the power and stays ahead of Wills to stay in the hunt. Image "slowing" to ONLY 5.175!!

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Bill Reichert                           7 Duane Shields
E2                   0.096  5.402 271.19     ****WINNER****  0.052  5.348 269.56
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Perkins   ) 0.149  5.309 273.16      (D Wells     ) 0.094  5.314 266.37
 Qualified:             #5  5.286 273.72                        #4  5.272 264.34

Two fuelers this time. Shields is off the line first and continues to pull away down the track to beat a slowing Reichert. Myers will have lane choice next round and will win the champship if he can win that round too.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Morgan Lucas                          596 Randy Meyer
E2   ****WINNER****  0.052  5.223 269.89                     0.202  5.512 239.95
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Hitchman  ) 0.066  5.249 270.27      (B Harper    ) 0.020  5.324 259.21
 Qualified:             #2  5.254 272.28                        #7  5.304 257.78

Lucas has a major advantage off the line and just pulls away for the win. Meyer's engine starts to drop cylinders on the top end and slows.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7321 Ashley Force                           74 Chris Demke
E2   ****WINNER****  0.051  5.239 268.38                     0.042  5.389 264.08
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Federlin  ) 0.078  5.340 269.24      (G Snow      ) 0.057  5.397 264.18
 Qualified:             #3  5.260 270.86                       #11  5.410 250.83

Demke has the last blown car in TAD. He gets a small advantage off the line, but Force drives on by to take the win. She misses lane choice over Lucas next round.

12:52 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink