Whiteley scores semifinal finish Topeka

Whiteley scores semifinal finish Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. – Many drag racers call it the ‘perfect’ red light. Coming in on the heels of two straight national event wins, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Jim Whiteley red lighted by just one thousandth of a second in the semifinals of this past weekend’s Dollar General Nationals at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan.

Whiteley, from Grand Junction, Colo., qualified his Norm Grimes tuned blown alcohol dragster second with a 5.331 second elapsed time at 265.90 mph. In round one, he defeated Buddy Domingue with a 5.365 at 267.00. He then set low elapsed time of the event in round two with a 5.279 at 272.45 to defeat Todd Odom. In his semifinal match up with eventual-winner Rich McPhillips, Whiteley pulled trigger just a tick early, nullifying a 5.316 at 272.01 that covered McPhillips’ 5.363 at 262.59.

“I honestly don’t know where that came from,” said Whiteley. “I have been cutting pretty consistent lights lately. You just have to take it as it is and move on. You definitely hate to let one get away from you like that.

“Conditions really improved on Sunday,” Whiteley continued. “It cooled off and the air got about 1500 feet better. We also lost the strong head wind we had on Friday and Saturday. The 60’ time was about the same, but the car definitely ran better down track with the better air and without the head wind. I can’t say enough about the job Norm and the guys are doing with the car right now. We’ll bounce back and get them at the next one.”

The next stop for the YNot Racing team will be back in their home state of Colorado for the NHRA Central Regional at Bandimere Speedway just outside of Denver, June 15-17. Whiteley has won this event for the past four years.

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The team would also like to thank the continued support of J&A Services and Advanced Oilfield Services.

Contact: Pro Race Communications 979.415.4959
Attached photo courtesy of YNot Racing