Kaplan cruses Comp, joins first-time winners Kelly, Coltrin, Pasher; Austin wins fifth straight

National Dragster, Sep 12, 2003 by Dillashaw, Bruce

Coltrin, a first-time Super Gas winner, defeated 1993 Seattle divisional winner Ken Mostowich in the final of the 50-car field. Coltrin, whose worst light was a .024, benefited from two fouls; Mostowich received two fouls and one bye and recorded no worse than a .026 light.

In the final, Coltrin, a runner-up this year at Firebird Raceway, took a .006 to .021 advantage at the green and parlayed that into a 9.917 to 9.905 win.

Super Street winner Pasher defeated first-time finalist Jerry Earp. Pasher had phenomenal reaction times in the six-round 49-car field - his worst light was his .010 in he final - and Earp's worst reaction time when he had an opponent was a .010. Earp received two singles in eliminations; Pasher advanced on two fouls.

In the final, Pasher's .010 was a hundredth better than Earp's leave and he won by a 10.896 to 10.892 count.

Kerker Motorcycle winner Miller upped his final-round record to three wins in five finals since scoring his first at Southern Oregon Dragway in 2002. Miller, a runner-up here earlier this year, titled by defeating eight-time finalist Buff Kobs in the final. Miller had lights of .017, .007, and .022 (against Kobs). Kobs gave chase to Miller, 8.63 dial to 7.62, but was 14-thousandths slower to react and lost to Miller, .006-second over to .035-second over.

Top Comp winner Dave Jackson was given a second chance and made the most of it by scoring his first win. Jackson missed the 32-car field with a 36th-best 8.10 from his 555-cid-powered '67 Nova, but he got in the race in place of No. 24 qualifier Marvin Mueller. Jackson defeated Doug Hemenway in the final, .02-over 8.13 to .048-over 7.568, after Hemenway took a .015 to .022 reaction-time advantage. Jackson only had two races in eliminations; two of his opponents fouled and one broke.