Fri, 21 Jul 2006, 05:39 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Michael L. Jex

KENT, Wash. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Joey Severance Runs 12.851/75.28, Now #2
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 5.778/245.00, Now #1

Morgan is pulling double duty this weekend, he's driving Aaron Oliverez's injected digger and Top Fuel.

Severance may have rolled a sprag or had a driveline problem, the motor was suddenly on full song with no load. Joey got off the loud pedal very quickly, the sound of Lucas's nitro motor being pulled down by the clutch fingers was easily heard in the distance.

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Left Lane: Dennis Swearingen Runs 9.468/94.03, Now #2
Right Lane: Brandon Johnson No Time, Now #4

Brandon and his Dad Mike won just two weeks ago in Woodburn Oregon, but this run isn't going to happen due to the blower belt coming off during the burnout.

Swearingen dropped a bunch of cylinders and lifted.

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Left Lane: Paul Julien Runs 5.542/253.71, Now #1
Right Lane: Mark Hentges Runs 9.404/83.30, Now #3

Hentges shook the tires till about 100-feet out, and lifted, Julien was will be very happy with this blast, it's just .02 off his career best in the class.

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Left Lane: Ed Verenka Runs 6.436/227.77, Now #4
Right Lane: Bill Edwards Jr. Runs 5.784/211.53, Now #3

Verenka's burnout was a bit on the tepid side - it may not matter too much for the nitro fueled dragster.

Edward's lifted before the stripe when the motor started to lay over, Verenka got things going with a 1.100 60-foot time.

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Left Lane: Kim Parker Runs 6.970/135.61, Now #6
Right Lane: Mike Austin Runs 5.642/230.29, Now #2

Austin may have blown a burst panel when he clicked it at the top end, there was a loud pop from the top end of the track. Parker lifted before the halfway point.

We're down for a second to check the track...

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Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.762/257.92, Now #4
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 5.553/256.21, Now #2

It's all nitro on the starting line in Seattle! .955 60-foot time for Massey is the best of the session thus far - Shields wasn't firing on all eight cylinders for part of the run.

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Left Lane: Steve Federlin Runs 5.505/258.12, Now #1
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 5.864/250.78, Now #8

With Team Force, Jerry Darien and crew, and A&E's TV crew, Ashley had quite an entourage go by us near the staging lanes. This could be a final round pairing, both drivers are among the best in the business.

The blown dragster of Federlin went right down Broadway, Force may have had to pedal once during her run.

Steve Federlin's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.436, 660ft-3.618/208.91mph, 1,000ft-4.635

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Left Lane: Gregg Lawrence Runs 5.994/239.02, Now #9
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 6.053/251.16, Now #10

Both drivers were a little soft off the starting line, 1.029 60-foot for Lawrence, 1.071 for Bateman. Both are capable of going much quicker.

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Left Lane: Sean O'Bannon Runs 5.601/255.24, Now #4

Sean O'Bannon's incremental times: 60ft-0.959 sec., 330ft-2.496, 660ft-3.704/206.16mph, 1,000ft-4.731

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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