David Wells Joliet summary

Wells comes one round short of win in Chicago

JOLIET, Ill. - Despite getting off to a slow start, NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster driver David Wells and the Blue Bunny Ice Cream/"Plain Vanilla" team got in the groove by raceday to post a runner-up finish at this past weekend's CarQuest AutoParts Nationals at Route 66 Raceway just outside of Chicago. In the process, Wells ran the second quickest pass ever for a Blown Alcohol Dragster and became the second B/AD to run over 270 mph.

Wells, from LeMars, Iowa, qualified his Norm Grimes' tuned machine tenth in the field with a 5.434 at 239.95 mph. The team experienced problems in the first round of the Jegs Sportsman All-Star event, which was also held there this weekend. Wells' attributed the problem to a bad fuel tank.

"The past few races, we've just been hurting motors for no apparent reason," said Wells. "At least not in the tune-up area. We blew one up the first run Friday, got back to the pit and found a metal shaving in one of the nozzles. In the first round Saturday morning, it blew up again, except this time it was about 1000', and it ran quick enough to qualify. We found some more metal in the barrel valve filter, so we decided there was a problem with the tank. We fixed the problem, got it put back together and didn't have anymore problems the whole weekend."

No problems indeed, as Wells started off eliminations by running his first 5.2 elapsed time, a 5.294 at 267.91 mph to take out Todd Datweiler, and then defeated Bill Reichert with a 5.297 at 268.44 mph in round two. In the semifinals, Wells defeated Keith Stark with a 5.329 at 268.49 mph.

Wells' final round opponent would be Morgan Lucas, who was hot off a win at the All-Stars event the day prior. Lucas' A/Fuel juggernaut had been locked in the low 5.20's all weekend. Grimes and the Blue Bunny Ice Cream/"Plain Vanilla" team stepped it up for the final, but it was not enough for Lucas' injected-nitro machine as Lucas took the win with a 5.258 at 270.92 mph to Wells' 5.272 at 270.59 mph.

"Once we got the fuel tank problem fixed the car picked right up," stated Wells. "Of course the conditions were really good and the track was pretty stout. We did the best we could, and we knew the final was going to be tough, running an A/Fueler in that kind of air. All-in-all it was a pretty good weekend and we'll just have to move on to Noble next weekend."

Wells and the Blue Bunny Ice Cream/"Plain Vanilla" team will go to Thunder Valley Raceway Park just outside of Oklahoma City, for next weekend's Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series closer. There Wells will be trying to pick up points towards the Division 5 Championship. Stay tuned to InsideTopAlcohol.com for the latest news in alcohol racing.