Sun, 26 Feb 2012, 15:02 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at Firebird International Raceway:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   74 Cody Perkins                         6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E1                   0.064  5.811 196.33     ****WINNER****  0.044  5.552 258.81
 Qualified:             #2  5.378 263.87                        #7  5.538 262.28

12:23 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 28.23 inches, adjusted altitude 3,086 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

Perkins only made the first session yesterday, but it was a strong pass that kept him in the number two position on the ladder.

That was ugly. St.Arnaud gets a small starting line advantage, but Perkins gets back on by before sixty feet and stays out in front until just after mid-track.

There was smoke off of St. Arnaud's engine, but he keeps running and steals the win. Perkin's engine gets very unhappy too and we have a delay to check out the top end and do a little dusting and cleaning.

Don St. Arnaud's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.069), 330 ft(-0.070), 660ft(-0.003), 1,000ft(0.077). MOV: 0.2797 seconds (approximately 81 feet).

Cody Perkins' incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.428, 660ft-3.666/201.25 mph, 1,000ft-4.745.
Don St. Arnaud's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.518, 660ft-3.689/212.29 mph, 1,000ft-4.688.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  734 Johnny Ahten                           73 Megan McKernan               
E1                   0.078  5.729 213.57     ****WINNER****  0.083  5.393 262.74
 Qualified:             #6  5.490 237.38                        #3  5.406 247.16

12:37 p.m. Back to racing.

Ahten's engine starts to drop cylinders off the line and he slows from his prior best.

McKernan is away second, but ahead by sixty feet. The fueler runs straight and clean to the finish line and pick up a little speed and a lot of ET for the easy win. She will have lane choice over St.Arnaud in round two.

Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.537, 660ft-3.729/207.78 mph, 1,000ft-4.747.
Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.432, 660ft-3.569/218.51 mph, 1,000ft-4.545.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  613 Joey Severance                          5 Chris Demke                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.435 259.66                     0.095  5.443 270.05
 Qualified:             #8  7.283 125.54                        #1  5.330 270.70

Demke deep stages and it may have cost him, as the car struggles early and then starts to fly on down the track to no avail.

Severance finds the tune up this time. He gets away first and is able to hold off a charging Demke down the track.

Joey Severance's incremental margins: 60ft(0.131), 330 ft(0.078), 660ft(0.055), 1,000ft(0.035). MOV: 0.0186 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

Joey Severance's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.420, 660ft-3.585/211.93 mph, 1,000ft-4.583.
Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-1.043 sec., 330ft-2.488, 660ft-3.630/216.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.608.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Larry Miersch                          63 James Butler                 
E1                   0.092  5.538 257.87     ****WINNER****  0.108  5.394 264.86
 Qualified:             #5  5.476 264.23                        #4  5.410 264.39

Butler is second off the line, but is out in front by 0.008 at the 60 foot lights. He pulls steadily ahead of a slowing Miersch for almost a 50 foot win.

He will Have lane choice over Severance next round.

James Butler's incremental margins: 60ft(0.008), 330 ft(0.105), 660ft(0.128), 1,000ft(0.121). MOV: 0.1283 seconds (approximately 49 feet).

Larry Miersch's incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.511, 660ft-3.690/212.46 mph, 1,000ft-4.681.
James Butler's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.390, 660ft-3.546/213.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.544.

12:46 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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