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Rockingham: Bob Bertsch final summary
Bertsch breaks through for semifinal finish ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - IHRA Torco's CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Racer Bob Bertsch and his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team rallied back from an alternate position to score a semifinal finish during ...
Edited: Apr 27, 2007, 12:16 AM
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Bertsch breaks through for semifinal finish
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - IHRA Torco's CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Racer Bob Bertsch and his Rislone Engine Treatment backed team rallied back from an alternate position to score a semifinal finish during this past weekend's IHRA Spring Nationals presented by Advanced Auto Parts and Castrol. Bertsch narrowly missed the field by a mere .17 of a mph, but was placed in the field when Brian Gahm couldn't make the call in round one.
Bertsch, of Willis, Mich., qualified his Jon Kaase powered 2007 Mustang 17th with a 6.435 second elapsed time, which tied him with No. 16 qualifier Anthony Paone in e.t. Paone's run was at 216.13 mph to Bertsch's 215.96 mph, giving the tiebreaker to Paone.
Bertsch took full advantage of his second shot at life, as he took out Larry O'Brien in round one with a 6.425 at 216.48 mph. In the quarterfinals, Bertsch squared off with the man that knocked him out of the field, Paone. Bertsch settled the score, making it down the track to a 6.476 at 213.67 mph while Paone had problems off the line and crossed the centerline. In the semifinals, Bertsch squared off with defending IHRA Champ Pete Berner. Bertsch encountered heavy tire spin off the line and shut off, giving the easy win to Berner, who ran a 6.392 at 219.40 mph.
"We were fortunate to get into the field," said Bertsch. "The car ran pretty good and made it's best pass in round one. We was just trying to sneak up on it and get after it more off the line. We made some changes in the clutch for the semifinal and it just spun the tires right off the hit. Overall it was a pretty good weekend. Compared to San Antonio, it was a really good weekend. We're just happy to make a good showing for Rislone & Bar's Leaks, Share Capital Wealth Management and Ram Clutches."
The next stop on the IHRA Torco Race Fuels Nitro Jam tour is the Skull Shine Sooner Nationals in Tulsa, Okla., May 25-27. The Rislone backed team may also make a stop at the World Ford Challenge in Indianapolis the weekend prior.
-credit: blr
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