Fri, 9 Jul 2010, 05:14 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By David Gerard

KENT, Wash. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Kyle Rizzoli Runs 5.515/266.00, Now #1
Right Lane: Bill Edwards Jr. Runs 7.667/112.08, Now #2

1:31 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 89 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.62 inches, adjusted altitude 2,974 feet, track temperature 119 degrees.

We will not likely get a bump spot in TAD either.

The fuelers should be at a disadvantage in the hot conditions. Rizzoli runs a career best ET and MPH in the blown dragster to set a mark for the rest of the field.

Edwards was game through the 330 lights and then has to watch Rizzoli pull steadily away.

Kyle Rizzoli's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.522, 660ft-3.689/213.70 mph, 1,000ft-4.675.
Bill Edwards Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.975 sec., 330ft-2.548, 660ft-4.106/140.11 mph, 1,000ft-5.839.

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Left Lane: Larry Miersch Runs 5.604/251.39, Now #2
Right Lane: Art Trautman Runs 12.398/83.22, Now #4

Two fuelers this time.

Trautman kicks the times at the green and he slows.

Miersch has a great early set of numbers and then the engines start to drop cylinders. He finishes the run with a few less than he started with, but it's good enough for the current #2 spot.

Art Trautman's incremental times: 60ft-1.059 sec., 330ft-3.854, 660ft-6.864/077.85 mph, 1,000ft-9.756.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 5.446/260.71, Now #1
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 10.602/75.10, Now #5

The Force Girls are next. Courtney was the Seattle 2009 Champion.

Not exactly the same tune up! Brittany's fueler stumbles and grumbles off the line and shuts down early.

Courtney's car fires on all eight down the track and marches to the new #1 position.

The Asphalt Zamboni is out dragging the right lane.

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.468, 660ft-3.613/216.69 mph, 1,000ft-4.594.

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Left Lane: Mark Niver Runs 5.341/270.05, Now #1
Right Lane: Dale Carlson Runs 5.422/262.49, Now #2

1:44 p.m. ...and we are back.

I guess I was wrong about the fuelers! Niver thunders right down Broadway on a clean and straight pass to jump into the low thirties.

Carlson was strong too and chases Niver to the finish line and takes over the current #2 spot.

Mark Niver's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.436, 660ft-3.557/221.92 mph, 1,000ft-4.516.
Dale Carlson's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.404, 660ft-3.572/212.13 mph, 1,000ft-4.569.

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Left Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.415/263.15, Now #2
Right Lane: Mike Austin Runs 5.518/261.27, Now #6

Two top Division Six dragsters to the line.

Severance hazes the tires off the line and gets away with it to complete a strong pass that takes him into the new #2 spot.

Austin shakes and shakes before the tires catch up to the car and he can complete the pas. That costs him some ET!

Joey Severance's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.398, 660ft-3.560/211.89 mph, 1,000ft-4.562.
Mike Austin's incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.466, 660ft-3.650/208.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.658.

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Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.328/269.89, Now #1
Right Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.423/227.96, Now #5

Number 4 and Number 7 in the world in 2009 will wrap up the session.

Demke gets revenge for the blown cars with a better ET, but Niver keeps the top MPH mark on another impressive pass. Great low end numbers and a clean finish.

Cowie's car was marching off the line and down track too until there is a BANG from the engine near the 1320 and he will have to settle for #5 for now.

Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.511/215.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.495.
Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.380, 660ft-3.517/216.86 mph, 1,000ft-4.504.

1:52 p.m. No bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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