TAD CHAMPION REICHERT ON TOP AGAIN
Wed, 2008-10-08 09:00
TAD Champ Reichert regains points lead with Atlanta win
Two-time defending NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion Bill Reichert and his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team scored a clutch win to regain the national points lead during this past weekend’s Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway. The win gave Reichert a 38 point lead over second-place Jim Whiteley.
Reichert, who runs the family business, Reichert Racing Engines, in Owosso, Mich., qualified his injected-nitro dragster third in the field with a 5.527 second elapsed time at 258.17 mph. In round one, he defeated fellow Rislone/Bar’s Leaks sponsored racer Jeff Bohr in a pedal-fest with an off-pace 9.701 at 119.92 mph. In round two, the Rislone machine returned to form to defeat Robin Samsel with a 5.281 at 273.39 mph. TAD Champ Reichert regains points lead with Atlanta win
Two-time defending NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion Bill Reichert and his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team scored a clutch win to regain the national points lead during this past weekend’s Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway. The win gave Reichert a 38 point lead over second-place Jim Whiteley.
Reichert, who runs the family business, Reichert Racing Engines, in Owosso, Mich., qualified his injected-nitro dragster third in the field with a 5.527 second elapsed time at 258.17 mph. In round one, he defeated fellow Rislone/Bar’s Leaks sponsored racer Jeff Bohr in a pedal-fest with an off-pace 9.701 at 119.92 mph. In round two, the Rislone machine returned to form to defeat Robin Samsel with a 5.281 at 273.39 mph.
Reichert’s final round opponent would be Artie Allen. Reichert set low elapsed time and top speed of the meet to take the win with a 5.267 at 277.43 mph to Allen’s 5.830 at 197.77.
“We were able to put this Rislone/Bar’s Leaks car in the winner’s circle again,” said Reichert. “Every win is good, but this win was especially good because it put us back in the points lead. It didn’t clinch the championship for us, but it definitely got us a lot closer.
“Atlanta is a good track,” Reichert continued. “The altitude isn’t too bad, either. You can run some pretty good numbers there; it’s just a matter of figuring it out. We only got one qualifying session, and then we smoked the tires in the first round against Bohr. Luckily he smoked the tires, too, and he lost his blower belt, so we were able to get the win. After that, we kind of figured out what the car wanted and went from there.”
Both Reichert and Whiteley can claim one more divisional event towards their total. If Reichert can reach the final round, he will clinch the championship, regardless of Whiteley’s outcome. Whiteley must win his final event to overtake Reichert.
“It’s that time of year when things start going down to the wire,” stated Reichert. “He [Whiteley] has to win his last race to pass us, but if we can make the final in Reynolds [Ga.], we’ll clinch the championship. We won’t know which race he’ll be at until we get there. He was at Reynolds last year and did pretty well, but his car also runs well at Vegas, so he may go there. We’re just going to do our own deal and see what happens.”
As sweet as the win was, the event was marred by tragedy as Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Bobby Martindale was fatally injured in an accident during qualifying Saturday when his Funny Car went off the end of the track.
“It’s just a real sad deal,” stated Reichert. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Bobby Martindale.”
The next event for the Rislone Engine Treatment team will be the Division 2 closer at Silver Dollar Raceway, Oct. 24-26.
Two-time defending NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion Bill Reichert and his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team scored a clutch win to regain the national points lead during this past weekend’s Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway. The win gave Reichert a 38 point lead over second-place Jim Whiteley.
Reichert, who runs the family business, Reichert Racing Engines, in Owosso, Mich., qualified his injected-nitro dragster third in the field with a 5.527 second elapsed time at 258.17 mph. In round one, he defeated fellow Rislone/Bar’s Leaks sponsored racer Jeff Bohr in a pedal-fest with an off-pace 9.701 at 119.92 mph. In round two, the Rislone machine returned to form to defeat Robin Samsel with a 5.281 at 273.39 mph. TAD Champ Reichert regains points lead with Atlanta win
Two-time defending NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion Bill Reichert and his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team scored a clutch win to regain the national points lead during this past weekend’s Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Atlanta Dragway. The win gave Reichert a 38 point lead over second-place Jim Whiteley.
Reichert, who runs the family business, Reichert Racing Engines, in Owosso, Mich., qualified his injected-nitro dragster third in the field with a 5.527 second elapsed time at 258.17 mph. In round one, he defeated fellow Rislone/Bar’s Leaks sponsored racer Jeff Bohr in a pedal-fest with an off-pace 9.701 at 119.92 mph. In round two, the Rislone machine returned to form to defeat Robin Samsel with a 5.281 at 273.39 mph.
Reichert’s final round opponent would be Artie Allen. Reichert set low elapsed time and top speed of the meet to take the win with a 5.267 at 277.43 mph to Allen’s 5.830 at 197.77.
“We were able to put this Rislone/Bar’s Leaks car in the winner’s circle again,” said Reichert. “Every win is good, but this win was especially good because it put us back in the points lead. It didn’t clinch the championship for us, but it definitely got us a lot closer.
“Atlanta is a good track,” Reichert continued. “The altitude isn’t too bad, either. You can run some pretty good numbers there; it’s just a matter of figuring it out. We only got one qualifying session, and then we smoked the tires in the first round against Bohr. Luckily he smoked the tires, too, and he lost his blower belt, so we were able to get the win. After that, we kind of figured out what the car wanted and went from there.”
Both Reichert and Whiteley can claim one more divisional event towards their total. If Reichert can reach the final round, he will clinch the championship, regardless of Whiteley’s outcome. Whiteley must win his final event to overtake Reichert.
“It’s that time of year when things start going down to the wire,” stated Reichert. “He [Whiteley] has to win his last race to pass us, but if we can make the final in Reynolds [Ga.], we’ll clinch the championship. We won’t know which race he’ll be at until we get there. He was at Reynolds last year and did pretty well, but his car also runs well at Vegas, so he may go there. We’re just going to do our own deal and see what happens.”
As sweet as the win was, the event was marred by tragedy as Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Bobby Martindale was fatally injured in an accident during qualifying Saturday when his Funny Car went off the end of the track.
“It’s just a real sad deal,” stated Reichert. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Bobby Martindale.”
The next event for the Rislone Engine Treatment team will be the Division 2 closer at Silver Dollar Raceway, Oct. 24-26.
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