Sun, 01 Sep 2013, 21:25 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 59th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  323 Brandon Booher                        704 William Litton               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.091  5.385 266.27                     0.102  5.553 257.63
 Qualified:             #3  5.364 269.13                       #14  5.446 267.06

8:42 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 71 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 3,573 feet, track temperature 78 degrees.

Booher is away first and never headed, as Litton slows from his prior best.

Brandon Booher's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.385, 660ft-3.549/212.06 mph, 1,000ft-4.542.
William Litton's incremental times: 60ft-0.987 sec., 330ft-2.536, 660ft-3.707/214.31 mph, 1,000ft-4.695.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  596 Randy Meyer                            13 John Finke                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.017  5.482 243.68                     0.085  5.479 248.25
 Qualified:             #7  5.404 259.51                       #10  5.418 260.71

Great 0.017 RT for Meyer, after a deep stage, gives him the hole shot win.

Randy Meyer's incremental times: 60ft-1.008 sec., 330ft-2.514, 660ft-3.643/220.87 mph, 1,000ft-4.611.
John Finke's incremental times: 60ft-0.968 sec., 330ft-2.487, 660ft-3.624/218.90 mph, 1,000ft-4.602.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  681 Shawn Cowie                            34 Marty Thacker                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.080  5.432 265.33                     0.020  5.624 255.77
 Qualified:             #4  5.393 267.48                       #13  5.444 261.37

Thacker is 2 - 1 against Cowie in prior events.

Cowie is second off the line and still gets the win, as Thacker slows a bunch from his qualifying times.

Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.984 sec., 330ft-2.431, 660ft-3.590/213.50 mph, 1,000ft-4.586.
Marty Thacker's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.508, 660ft-3.715/204.70 mph, 1,000ft-4.747.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  717 Aaron Olivarez                       1900 Dan Page                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  5.523 255.68                     0.076  5.537 260.71
 Qualified:             #6  5.398 265.80                       #11  5.429 267.00

Olivarez gets a big lead off the line and holds off a charging Page. His engine started to drop cylinders after half track and his speed is down. Booher gets the lane choice in the next round.

Aaron Olivarez's incremental times: 60ft-0.978 sec., 330ft-2.513, 660ft-3.665/216.45 mph, 1,000ft-4.656.
Dan Page's incremental times: 60ft-0.993 sec., 330ft-2.536, 660ft-3.705/214.45 mph, 1,000ft-4.688.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rich McPhillips                         6 Duane Shields                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.071  5.561 257.14                     0.058  6.945 247.75
 Qualified:             #8  5.411 259.76                        #9  5.411 254.47

Two top ten competitors meet in first round.

Shield is done right off the line,as the tires are smoking early. McPhillips is long gone and takes the win with ease.

Rich McPhillips' incremental times: 60ft-1.008 sec., 330ft-2.557, 660ft-3.719/215.89 mph, 1,000ft-4.702.
Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-1.312 sec., 330ft-3.695, 660ft-4.994/197.42 mph, 1,000ft-6.049.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   36 Robin Samsel                            7 Ken Perry                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.073  5.441 255.43                     0.064  5.456 262.54
 Qualified:             #5  5.395 259.26                       #12  5.434 263.41

Great race from start to finish! Perry gets away first and holds off a thundering Samsel until just before the 1000 foot light. Samsel just nips him in the lights for a close win. Cowie will have lane choice in round two.

Robin Samsel's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.041), 330 ft(-0.059), 660ft(-0.017), 1,000ft(0.013). MOV: 0.0068 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

Robin Samsel's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.475, 660ft-3.605/220.08 mph, 1,000ft-4.580.
Ken Perry's incremental times: 60ft-0.944 sec., 330ft-2.425, 660ft-3.597/210.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.602.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jim Whiteley                           37 Paul Fishburn                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.067  5.331 269.46                     0.192  5.545 258.71
 Qualified:             #2  5.342 269.94                       #15  5.449 260.31

The race was all over at the green, as Fishburn is way late. Whiteley runs close to his qualifying times for the easy win. He'll have lane choice over Meyer tomorrow.

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.386, 660ft-3.522/217.39 mph, 1,000ft-4.498.
Paul Fishburn's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.477, 660ft-3.660/207.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.678.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Chris Demke                           371 Dave Heitzman                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  5.427 264.49                     0.071  5.508 256.65
 Qualified:             #1  5.330 269.62                       #16  5.453 252.76

Demke slows a bunch from his qualifying times and still gets the easy win.

He will have lane choice over McPhillips in round two.

Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.417, 660ft-3.581/212.36 mph, 1,000ft-4.579.
Dave Heitzman's incremental times: 60ft-0.973 sec., 330ft-2.506, 660ft-3.663/216.83 mph, 1,000ft-4.641.

9:07 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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