Fri, 11 Nov 2011, 14:08 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 47th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals 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: Ray Martin Runs 5.587/258.22, Now #12; Best prior run: 20.520/50.61, Was #15
Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.327/253.56, Now #3; Best prior run: 14.043/65.83, Was #14

10:35 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 34 percent, barometer 28.87 inches, adjusted altitude 2,098 feet, track temperature 73 degrees.

Field not filled, no bump spot.

Great pass for Ahten with a few mixed cylinders. He still runs well enough to move up to the new #3 spot. That's a season best ET too.

Martin gets a full pull, but the car is lazy off the line. He moves up three spots on the ladder to number twelve.

Ray Martin's incremental times: 60ft-1.018 sec., 330ft-2.527, 660ft-3.715/208.36 mph, 1,000ft-4.725.
Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.378, 660ft-3.496/222.40 mph, 1,000ft-4.464.

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Left Lane: Michael Manners Runs 5.334/277.66, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.534/266.64, Was #10
Right Lane: Cody Perkins Runs 10.086/81.02, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.934/181.96, Was #14

Perkins car goes weird off the line with shake, spin, and a wheel stand.

Manners gets it all together and moves up to the top eight with a season best MPH.

Michael Manners' incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.472, 660ft-3.593/225.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.530.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 12.867/60.66, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.521/261.37, Was #10
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 8.957/119.75, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.747/246.48, Was #13

Severance doesn't help his Championship hopes, as the wheels come up and then the slicks smoke right after.

Alexander spins the harder and the back end steps out before he wisely clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.333/266.90, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.367/265.01, Was #9
Right Lane: John Finke Runs 5.339/260.66, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.534/247.43, Was #11

Five thirty three's a pair!

Shields help his chances for the Championship with a improving pass into the top eight in the new number five position.

Finke is 0.006 slower and three spots back on his great looking pass.

Nice side by side passes.

Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.433, 660ft-3.550/225.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.500.
John Finke's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.410, 660ft-3.520/224.02 mph, 1,000ft-4.488.

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Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.307/269.89, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.337/270.05, Was #7
Right Lane: Mark Taliaferro Runs 5.344/280.89, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.348/275.22, Was #10

Taliaferro shakes some off the line, slaps the pedal, and flies on down for a new career best MPH. I heard that is the eighth fastest ever.

Whiteley tweeks the tune up and gets it all to the ground with a 0.097 sixty foot to move five spots up the ladder into the new #2 spot.

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.355, 660ft-3.497/219.19 mph, 1,000ft-4.474.
Mark Taliaferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.924 sec., 330ft-2.456, 660ft-3.592/225.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.540.

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Left Lane: Megan McKernan Runs 5.316/271.24, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.330/269.94, Was #5
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.389/262.28, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.343/267.53, Was #9

Another career best ET and MPH for McKerrnan and two spots up the ladder to the new #3 spot.

Strong pass for Demke too, but he doesn't improve.

Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.416, 660ft-3.540/222.14 mph, 1,000ft-4.494.
Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.533/213.40 mph, 1,000ft-4.533.

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Left Lane: Chase Copeland Runs 20.543/47.25, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.326/278.29, Was #4
Right Lane: Aaron Tatum Runs 5.354/274.72, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.253/271.68, Was #1

Last pair of the session.

Copeland strikes the tires and slows.

Tatum has a little shake and slows from his best. He stays number one and will get first round single at this point with one session to go.

10:58 a.m. Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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