HERTFORD — To a racer who has finished second in a final match, the ultimate goal is having the opportunity to settle the score somewhere down the line. Whether it’s called a rematch, tie-breaker or do-over, it’s basically a second chance to prove you’ve got what it takes to turn on the win light. Bracket racers know that those second chances can be seldom to never, so when they do come along it is best to have their A game ready. Jeff Moore of Elizabeth City, making his fourth Top Eliminator final round appearance Saturday night at Northeast Dragway, faced off against Brian Maine of Gates in his first rematch of the year and it couldn’t have turned out better. “Everything just kept going our way,” said Moore, driver of a Milton Copeland-owned Chevy Nova. “I had a late light in the semi-final round but got lucky because the other driver was late, too.” There were no late lights in the final for Moore as he posted a near perfect .005 reaction time in his double-breakout rematch against Brian Maine of Gates, the exact opposite of the negative .005 red light that cost him the win in their first final round on April 17th. Moore ran closer to his 6.24 dial with an elapsed time of 6.239 while Maine committed the worst foul by running 4.953 on his 4.96 dial. “One-Eyed Dave” Reilly of Edenton continues to keep his eye on the prize as he collected his third win of the year in the Modified Class with a monster wheel stand from his 1983 Chevy Camaro in the final round against Gary McDonald of Virginia Beach. “The problem with wheel stands is that you have to come down to see where you’re going,” said Reilly, “I was fighting to keep it my lane.” The show belonged to Reilly as McDonald fouled on the line with a red light start. Bob Leslie bested Lee Cartwright for the Street Class win with a .095 reaction time off the line and running 10.30 on his 10.27 dial. T. R. Reid of Lanexa, Va., made it two in a row in the Pro Bike Class by defeating Barry Pryer, Sr in the final. Reid ran dead on his 5.68 dial while Pryer fouled with a red light start. Sixteen-year-old Danielle Hill of Chesapeake continues to celebrate her best season ever in her Junior Dragster by making her seventh final round and taking home her third first-place trophy. Hill faced Megan Poyner of Barco, where she was best off the line and ran 7.92 o her 7.90 dial while Poyner broke out on top end. Hill, who leads the track points series, also picked up an Iron Man earlier this year for a National event win in Maryland. “I should have won two Iron Man trophies,” said Hill, showing an air of regret over a red light start in the final of the Northeast Iron Man race on May 30th of this year. “But there’s always Rockingham,” she said with a smile, knowing that the Bracket Finals event would be the ultimate second chance. A full Labor Day weekend line up is on tap beginning with Test and Tune Friday night from seven to 10 p.m. Gates will open at three p.m. on Saturday for Points race number 12. Time runs will start at 5 p.m., followed by eliminations at 7 p.m. Top Eliminator and Modified only will vie for big bucks on Sunday with elevated payouts in both classes. Gates will open at one p.m., time runs will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., with eliminations to follow. Log onto www.northeastdragway.net for details on these and other upcoming events.

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