CONCORD, N.C. (April 28, 2023) – Julie Nataas and her Randy Meyer Racing (RMR) Oslo Tapet & Gulvbelegg (OTG) Top Alcohol Dragster team made a final elimination quad appearance for a semifinal finish at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway on Sunday night.
“We had another great weekend at zMAX Dragway. We got to debut our 2023 wrap and the car ran consistently through the weekend,” Nataas said. “We were in a good position to take home the win, but we slowed down a little in the final round.”
Nataas would start eliminations qualified in the No. 2 spot off her 5.232-second pass at 278.92 mph from the second qualifying session. She would finish off Saturday racing by advancing to the second round with her quickest pass of the weekend at 5.226 seconds and 279.38 mph. Jeff Veale would also move on from her quad with a. 5.330 at 277.43.
On Sunday, lined up with Mike Coughlin, Veale and Hunter Green, Nataas would maintain her consistency handling the OTG dragster to a 5.269-second pass at 277.09 mph to advance to the final elimination quad with Coughlin and his 5.242 at 275.06.
In the final quad, Nataas would cross the finish line at 5.269-seconds and 276.35 mph with a .055 reaction time to come up third and finish as a semifinalist. Coughlin would win the event with a .014-second reaction time and 5.302 pass at 275.67 taking the victory on a triple holeshot win over runner-up Tony Stewart’s 5.260 at 272.61 with a .060 reaction time. Nataas would defeat Cody Krohn’s .048 reaction and 5.283 pass at 274.
“We know we have a good car going into our race next weekend in Indy,” said Nataas.
Nataas and the RMR OTG Top Alcohol Dragster team will continue their season with the Lucas Oil Regional event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana May 6-7, after the event in Great Bend, Kansas, which was originally on their schedule for that same weekend, was cancelled.
