Sat, 29 Jul 2006, 05:21 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Chris Demke                             2 Steve Federlin
E1                   0.054  5.487 264.18     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.465 263.67
 Qualified:             #8  5.365 265.27                        #9  5.383 263.20

1:53 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 30.15 inches, adjusted altitude 1,031 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

Even start but Federlin had just a bit more than Demke today. Steve Federlin's MOV: 0.0208 seconds (approximately 8 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6610 Brandon Johnson                      7438 Morgan Lucas
E1                   0.068  5.499 262.54     ****WINNER****  0.073  5.339 267.75
 Qualified:            #10  5.395 260.76                        #7  5.365 265.74

A round win for Lucas in the A/Fueler.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  617 Gregg Lawrence                       7384 Sean O'Bannon
E1                   0.103  5.501 254.62     ****WINNER****  0.064  5.378 270.05
 Qualified:            #11  5.428 256.55                        #6  5.359 268.71

O'Bannon is away first and never has to look back. Another thirty for him and another round win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7051 Darren Nicholson                        7 Ashley Force
E1                   0.021  5.455 263.46     ****WINNER****  0.079  5.376 266.95
 Qualified:            #12  5.443 254.14                        #5  5.345 268.33

This could be a good match...and it was. Nicholson puts a nickel on Force at the line but she manages to run him down by 1000 feet. Ashley Force's MOV: 0.0216 seconds (approximately 8 feet). She was ahead by .001 at that 1k clock by the way.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 5555 Jim Whiteley                           74 Duane Shields
E1                   0.072  5.556 255.43     ****WINNER****  0.084  5.271 267.43
 Qualified:            #13  5.451 253.95                        #4  5.321 266.11

A heck of a run for Shields in the Shortline Express. Shields earns lane choice when he faces Nicholson in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Mike Austin                           777 Mark Niver
E1                   0.090  5.566 250.51     ****WINNER****  0.186  5.327 270.21
 Qualified:            #15  5.582 247.88                        #2  5.252 273.11

When Niver meets Lucas in the second round he better have those .186 lights out of his system or the kid will take him to school. Austin had a much better light than Niver but couldn't stay within two tenths of him. Niver has choice in that second round match up.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  712 Larry Miersch                         611 Garrett Bateman
E1                   0.042  6.424 228.19     ****WINNER****  0.097  5.770 246.08
 Qualified:            #16  5.762 246.98                        #1  5.243 269.73

Bateman is second at the hit and smokes the tires at half track. He still has enough to win as Miersch has holes out all the way down. The tire smoke does cost Batemen lane choice against Federlin.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 Johnny Ahten                          421 Spencer Massey
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  6.568 243.99                     0.043  7.204 175.00
 Qualified:            #14  5.478 259.11                        #3  5.298 260.91

Not often you see a pedalfest in alcohol racing but this qualified. Ahten had a hard time getting the car to start and by the time it was running Rick Stewart demanded he come to the line without a burnout. Ahten rolled through the water and straight to the line. The crew tried to dry the tires but it was to no avail. At the hit he struck the tires and I thought it was over for him. Massey struck the tires in the other lane a by the time he recovered Ahten had gone around him and was pulling away. Needless to say O'Bannon has lane choice over Ahten next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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