Fri, 28 Jul 2006, 06:01 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Darryl Jackman

SONOMA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Mark Foster No Time, Now #2
Right Lane: Morgan Lucas Runs 5.365/265.74, Now #1

2:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 30.12 inches, adjusted altitude 1,323 feet, track temperature 124 degrees.

Foster had problems and can't make the first session. Lucas fires the first shot and makes it count. Good looking pass to open the session.

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Left Lane: Chris Lane No Time, Now #3
Right Lane: Dennis Swearingen Runs 6.948/142.12, Now #2

Lane's engine appeared to go south right at the hit as it mixed cylinders and appeared to expire before 30 feet. As he coasted to a stop Swearingen crossed the stripe with his own set of problems.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 9.013/105.69, Now #4
Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.363/267.64, Now #1

By .002 Shields takes the top spot from Lucas. Batemen has problems and coasts on out.

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Left Lane: Danny Valadez Runs 6.614/234.57, Now #3
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 8.994/91.88, Now #5

Neither driver will be pleased here. Massey left pretty well but something broke on the car. Valadez passed him by half track but cards a really soft number.

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Left Lane: Brandon Johnson Runs 5.557/259.46, Now #3
Right Lane: Darren Nicholson No Time, Now #9

Nicholson broke right off the line and coasted to a stop at about 100 feet. Johnson is the quickest blown car of the session.

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Left Lane: Sean O'Bannon Runs 11.909/74.72, Now #9
Right Lane: Frank Dischbein Runs 6.055/230.49, Now #4

O'Bannon left hard but fell right off the pace. Dischbein had he own set of problems but is good for the #4 spot in the show. This is a VERY strange session!

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Left Lane: Steve Federlin Runs 5.502/263.00, Now #4
Right Lane: Mark Niver Runs 5.368/267.32, Now #3

Niver becomes the third driver of the session to run 5.36. His was coupled with an eight so he's #3 behind Shields and Lucas. Federlin is now the quickest blown car.

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Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.519/256.41, Now #6
Right Lane: Gregg Lawrence Runs 5.428/256.55, Now #4

A pair of blown cars square off and it's Lawrence that gets there first. Whiteley crossed the line just a few feet back.

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Left Lane: Ashley Force Runs 5.401/266.58, Now #4
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.421/264.39, Now #5

This was a nice side by side match here in qualifying. Force took an early lead and held of Demke all the way to the stripe.

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Left Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.478/259.11, Now #7
Right Lane: Mike Austin Runs 12.206/64.10, Now #17

Austin shakes hard and is forced to list early in the run. Ahten stays glued to the surface and slots into 7th to close the session.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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