InsideTopAlcohol
InsideTopAlcohol
Gainesville FL - Duane Shields in the PEAK A/Fuel Dragster improved over last week’s runner up finish to grab a big win at the NHRA Lucas Oil Regional event held one week prior to the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals contested at the same track. The win ends a long drought for one of drag racing’s more popular stars in the Top Alcohol Dragster category. “I hate to say how long it’s been since we won last, but it feels really good to get the win for my team and my sponsors" Duane said after the event.
Duane qualified 6th in a very competitive field with a 5.29 at 276 MPH. “It didn’t start out well, there were some delays so we only got two chances to qualify. We had to abort the first run so on the second run we had to concentrate on just getting into the show. It was a really tough field with seven cars in the 5.30’s or better” Duane said.
In round one, Duane took on Jackie Fricke fresh off her win over Duane last week in Belle Rose. At the hit, Duane got off the line first with a 0.063 to Fricke’s 0.073. Duane never trailed and took the stripe with a stout 5.23 at 276 MPH over Fricke’s competitive 5.34 at 270 MPH. “We stepped it up in the first round and kept the same tune up in the car the rest of the race” Duane explained.
In the semifinals, Duane raced Justin Ashley. As the cars left the starting line, Ashley had a great 0.021 light but that was it as he had problems and shut off early. Meanwhile, Duane kept his consistency going with a 5.24 at 275 MPH to win the round and go on to the finals for the second week in a row.
In the final round, Duane faced Jeff Veale who was also having a very consistent weekend. On paper, it looked to be a very tight race as both teams had similar performances throughout the day. As the lights came down, Veale made the most of it with an 0.017 reaction time to Duane’s decent 0.023. As predicted, it was a close race all the way to the finish line with Duane getting a well deserved win with a 5.27 at 274 MPH to Veale’s close...
Duane qualified 6th in a very competitive field with a 5.29 at 276 MPH. “It didn’t start out well, there were some delays so we only got two chances to qualify. We had to abort the first run so on the second run we had to concentrate on just getting into the show. It was a really tough field with seven cars in the 5.30’s or better” Duane said.
In round one, Duane took on Jackie Fricke fresh off her win over Duane last week in Belle Rose. At the hit, Duane got off the line first with a 0.063 to Fricke’s 0.073. Duane never trailed and took the stripe with a stout 5.23 at 276 MPH over Fricke’s competitive 5.34 at 270 MPH. “We stepped it up in the first round and kept the same tune up in the car the rest of the race” Duane explained.
In the semifinals, Duane raced Justin Ashley. As the cars left the starting line, Ashley had a great 0.021 light but that was it as he had problems and shut off early. Meanwhile, Duane kept his consistency going with a 5.24 at 275 MPH to win the round and go on to the finals for the second week in a row.
In the final round, Duane faced Jeff Veale who was also having a very consistent weekend. On paper, it looked to be a very tight race as both teams had similar performances throughout the day. As the lights came down, Veale made the most of it with an 0.017 reaction time to Duane’s decent 0.023. As predicted, it was a close race all the way to the finish line with Duane getting a well deserved win with a 5.27 at 274 MPH to Veale’s close...
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Second-generation nitro racer Justin Ashley learned a lot in his first season of Top Alcohol Dragster.
Ashley, who pilots the Epic Motorsports Marketing/Realty Warehouse A/Fuel Dragster for Randy Meyer, learned quickly to keep his emotions in check, even when he had plenty to get emotional about.
"What works best for me is keeping the emotions out of it - being mechanical.," explained Ashley, a two-time winner in 2017. " And that’s something I learned from my father and Frank Hawley. Get in the car and do the same thing every time. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first round of qualifying or the fourth round of eliminations on Sunday. You just put all your emotions to the side, don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Just get in the car, do your job. There’s plenty of time at the finish line to show your emotions."
Ashley proved a quick study as he laid down a No. 1 qualifier in his first outing, the NHRA Division 2 opener in Gainesville, Fla. A week later, he drove his way to the winner's circle at the NHRA Gatornationals. And for good measure, he added a No. 1 qualifier at the prestigious NHRA U.S Nationals and a second win in Brainerd, Minn.
Ashley will make his 2018 racing debut this weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Division 2 event this weekend in Gainesville, Fla. He's a much different driver than the unproven rookie who rolled through the gates last March.
"My nerve level was probably closer to 10 then, especially going into that race," Ashley said. "But at the same time when it was time to go and sit in the car and actually drive my nerves definitely calmed down a lot, and I was able to just focus on what I had to do. There was a lot of anticipation. A lot going on inside and outside the car at that time. But thanks to Randy and the team I was able to learn and grow as a driver.
"Relative to now where things are a little bit different. I’m looking at things a little bit different having those passes under my belt. You still get those...
Ashley, who pilots the Epic Motorsports Marketing/Realty Warehouse A/Fuel Dragster for Randy Meyer, learned quickly to keep his emotions in check, even when he had plenty to get emotional about.
"What works best for me is keeping the emotions out of it - being mechanical.," explained Ashley, a two-time winner in 2017. " And that’s something I learned from my father and Frank Hawley. Get in the car and do the same thing every time. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first round of qualifying or the fourth round of eliminations on Sunday. You just put all your emotions to the side, don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Just get in the car, do your job. There’s plenty of time at the finish line to show your emotions."
Ashley proved a quick study as he laid down a No. 1 qualifier in his first outing, the NHRA Division 2 opener in Gainesville, Fla. A week later, he drove his way to the winner's circle at the NHRA Gatornationals. And for good measure, he added a No. 1 qualifier at the prestigious NHRA U.S Nationals and a second win in Brainerd, Minn.
Ashley will make his 2018 racing debut this weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Division 2 event this weekend in Gainesville, Fla. He's a much different driver than the unproven rookie who rolled through the gates last March.
"My nerve level was probably closer to 10 then, especially going into that race," Ashley said. "But at the same time when it was time to go and sit in the car and actually drive my nerves definitely calmed down a lot, and I was able to just focus on what I had to do. There was a lot of anticipation. A lot going on inside and outside the car at that time. But thanks to Randy and the team I was able to learn and grow as a driver.
"Relative to now where things are a little bit different. I’m looking at things a little bit different having those passes under my belt. You still get those...
Belle Rose LA - The PEAK Dragster’s stellar performance in 2018 continues as Duane Shields made it to the final round at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Race Series Regional at No Problem Raceway located in Belle Rose, Louisiana. “I wish we would have won but this was good since we haven’t been to a final round in a while” Duane said after the event.
Duane ended up third on the qualifying ladder with a 5.44 at 215 MPH and faced former Top Fuel stand out, Spencer Massey, in round one. Massey ended up being a no show but ready or not the PEAK team slapped down a 5.24 at 273 MPH which was low ET for the first round of competition. “The car ran right where we wanted it to in the first round” Duane explained.
In the semi-final round, the PEAK team had Buddy Domingue on their hands. Unfortunately, the race was over at the starting line as Domingue red lit giving the win to Duane. Domingue ran a very competitive 5.27 at 275 MPH to Duane’s slightly slower 5.30 at 272 MPH but it was all for not due to the starting line infraction.
In the finals, Duane faced friendly competitor Jackie Fricke who had ran an impressive 5.27 in the second round. At the hit Fricke got off the line first with an 0.058 reaction time to Duane’s 0.068. At the finish line, Fricke got the win with a solid 5.30 at 272 MPH to Duane’s close 5.34 at 272 MPH. “The car ran a little slower in the second round so we gave it a little more power for the finals but it didn’t respond” Duane said.
The PEAK team now moves on to Florida where Duane has won the regional event in Gainesville and the NHRA Gatornationals three times. “This is the start of three races in a row and this weekend gives us a lot of confidence going into Florida” Duane said. Duane would like to thank PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil, Final Charge, Blue Def, NGK, GRP and Brad Anderson Enterprises for supporting the team in 2018.
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Duane ended up third on the qualifying ladder with a 5.44 at 215 MPH and faced former Top Fuel stand out, Spencer Massey, in round one. Massey ended up being a no show but ready or not the PEAK team slapped down a 5.24 at 273 MPH which was low ET for the first round of competition. “The car ran right where we wanted it to in the first round” Duane explained.
In the semi-final round, the PEAK team had Buddy Domingue on their hands. Unfortunately, the race was over at the starting line as Domingue red lit giving the win to Duane. Domingue ran a very competitive 5.27 at 275 MPH to Duane’s slightly slower 5.30 at 272 MPH but it was all for not due to the starting line infraction.
In the finals, Duane faced friendly competitor Jackie Fricke who had ran an impressive 5.27 in the second round. At the hit Fricke got off the line first with an 0.058 reaction time to Duane’s 0.068. At the finish line, Fricke got the win with a solid 5.30 at 272 MPH to Duane’s close 5.34 at 272 MPH. “The car ran a little slower in the second round so we gave it a little more power for the finals but it didn’t respond” Duane said.
The PEAK team now moves on to Florida where Duane has won the regional event in Gainesville and the NHRA Gatornationals three times. “This is the start of three races in a row and this weekend gives us a lot of confidence going into Florida” Duane said. Duane would like to thank PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil, Final Charge, Blue Def, NGK, GRP and Brad Anderson Enterprises for supporting the team in 2018.
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