Sat, 31 May 2008, 11:54 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Bob Orme

TOPEKA, Kan. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Travis Nicholson Runs 15.724/69.41, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.026/242.63, Was #19
Right Lane: Jared Dreher Runs 5.659/243.99, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.109/214.96, Was #20

10:20 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 69 percent, barometer 28.83 inches, adjusted altitude 3,046 feet, track temperature 89 degrees.

Nicholson used to work for the Worshams. Now, he works full time for Tom Conway. He was up in smoke immediately. A good looking pass by Dreher moves him into the field.

Jared Dreher's incremental times: 60ft-0.984 sec., 330ft-2.545, 660ft-3.741/208.71mph, 1,000ft-4.762

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Left Lane: Edwin Schmeeckle Runs 5.497/259.51, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.968/178.64, Was #18
Right Lane: Malcolm Wahle Runs 5.795/246.71, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.996/239.78, Was #19

No visible problems in either lane. Both drivers bump their way into the field, but Wahle's number 16 position doesn't look very safe at this point.

Edwin Schmeeckle's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.460, 660ft-3.632/210.34mph, 1,000ft-4.639
Malcolm Wahle's incremental times: 60ft-1.017 sec., 330ft-2.617, 660ft-3.856/201.64mph, 1,000ft-4.898

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Left Lane: Brandon Lewis Runs 5.649/253.04, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.940/245.45, Was #19
Right Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 5.469/274.61, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.736/230.37, Was #15

Some early tire shake for Lewis but he was able to drive through it. Massey moves way up the ladder.

Brandon Lewis' incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.548, 660ft-3.752/206.99mph, 1,000ft-4.771
Spencer Massey's incremental times: 60ft-0.984 sec., 330ft-2.557, 660ft-3.707/221.92mph, 1,000ft-4.657

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 5.535/244.78, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.844/235.64, Was #19
Right Lane: Brandon Pierce Runs 5.515/267.16, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.719/253.95, Was #16

Brandon Pierce is on the bump spot at 5.719. A smooth pass for both drivers and they both move into the field.

Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.449, 660ft-3.637/209.95mph, 1,000ft-4.645
Brandon Pierce's incremental times: 60ft-0.991 sec., 330ft-2.539, 660ft-3.705/216.03mph, 1,000ft-4.680

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Left Lane: Jeff Hamelink Runs 5.660/247.11, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.814/248.39, Was #19
Right Lane: Aaron Tatum Runs 5.429/264.34, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.694/253.09, Was #17

Hamelink improves, but not by enough to make the field. He was moving around his lane in the middle section of the track.

Jeff Hamelink's incremental times: 60ft-0.975 sec., 330ft-2.555, 660ft-3.760/209.07mph, 1,000ft-4.770
Aaron Tatum's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.476, 660ft-3.626/219.40mph, 1,000ft-4.591

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Left Lane: Diana Harker Runs 12.180/91.19, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.641/251.72, Was #15
Right Lane: Richard Putz Runs 6.677/171.31, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.511/261.27, Was #11

Harker lost traction right after the hit. Putz was off his usual pace and off the throttle early.

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Left Lane: Mark Niver Runs 5.374/264.03, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.569/256.31, Was #14

A huge move up the ladder for Niver.

Mark Niver's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.441, 660ft-3.573/220.33mph, 1,000ft-4.536

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Left Lane: Justin Davis Runs 5.485/258.96, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.496/259.31, Was #10

Davis was moving around his lane on the top end of the track.

Justin Davis' incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.421, 660ft-3.601/208.52mph, 1,000ft-4.619

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Left Lane: Thomas Bayer Runs 5.429/260.16, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.455/262.44, Was #6
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.429/263.41, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.412/265.64, Was #4

A good looking drag race!

Thomas Bayer's incremental times: 60ft-0.924 sec., 330ft-2.389, 660ft-3.556/210.44mph, 1,000ft-4.567
Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.414, 660ft-3.578/211.46mph, 1,000ft-4.580

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Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.346/266.79, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.365/267.22, Was #1
Right Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.335/266.21, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.377/269.13, Was #3

Cowie's quickest pass of this season moves him around Whitely for the top spot on the ladder.

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.373, 660ft-3.518/215.37mph, 1,000ft-4.505
Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.358, 660ft-3.506/214.69mph, 1,000ft-4.495

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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