Fri, 13 Nov 2015, 17:50 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 51st annual Auto Club 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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Right Lane: Dan Mercier Runs 5.387/269.73, Now #8; Best prior run: 12.873/87.14, Was #23

Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 21 percent, barometer 28.83 inches, adjusted altitude 2,832 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Mercier launched hard and was straight down the groove to get into the top half of the show. Dan Mercier's incremental times: 60ft-0.968 sec., 330ft-2.474, 660ft-3.604/222.18 mph, 1,000ft-4.561.

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Left Lane: Lee Callaway Runs 8.625/95.03, Now #22; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Fred Hanssen No Time, Now #21; Best prior run: 6.139/162.65, Was #21

Hanssen with problems before the run and is pushed off the starting line. Callaway was real loose right at the hit and started making a move toward the centerline and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Bill Litton Runs 5.454/261.07, Now #12; Best prior run: 15.257/53.09, Was #25
Right Lane: John Finke Runs 5.676/261.22, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.850/249.07, Was #20

Litton was out of the groove early, but stayed with it getting close to the centerline. Litton still gets into the show. Bill Litton's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.473, 660ft-3.625/217.74 mph, 1,000ft-4.601. Finke improves, but will not get in the show.

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Left Lane: Monty Bugeja Runs 5.339/268.44, Now #7; Best prior run: 11.745/70.55, Was #25
Right Lane: Cameron Ferre Runs 12.941/89.03, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.625/260.26, Was #20

Bugeja launched hard and keep it hitting on all to get into the top half of the show. This is his career quickest and fastest pass to go to the number seven spot. Monty Bugeja's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.379, 660ft-3.514/217.11 mph, 1,000ft-4.501. Ferre is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Mark Taliaferro Runs 5.288/274.39, Now #6; Best prior run: 11.397/97.40, Was #25
Right Lane: David Sheetz Runs 5.414/270.86, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.556/246.93, Was #19

Taliaferro launched hard and keep it hitting on all eight to get into the top half of the show. Taliaferro with his career quickest and fastest pass to go to the number six spot. Mark Taliaferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.413, 660ft-3.532/224.10 mph, 1,000ft-4.475. Sheetz with a good clean pass to get in the show. David Sheetz's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.507, 660ft-3.636/222.33 mph, 1,000ft-4.590.

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Left Lane: Derik Milanesio Runs 5.491/260.86, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.577/252.47, Was #21
Right Lane: Randy Eakins Runs 5.567/260.46, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.489/258.42, Was #20

Milanesio was on a good pass until it started dropping cylinders on the top end. He improves, but won't get into the show. Derik Milanesio's incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.492, 660ft-3.657/215.75 mph, 1,000ft-4.639. No help here for Eakins.

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Left Lane: Tripp Tatum Runs 5.392/263.36, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.486/223.50, Was #19
Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.398/271.73, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.476/268.44, Was #18

Tatum with a nice pass, straight down the groove to go to the number 11 spot. Tripp Tatum's incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.469, 660ft-3.596/222.44 mph, 1,000ft-4.553. Shields was straight down the groove to go to the number 13 spot. Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-0.956 sec., 330ft-2.477, 660ft-3.614/220.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.574.

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Left Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.641/263.05, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.414/265.64, Was #15
Right Lane: Ashley Sanford Runs 5.509/262.08, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.474/259.56, Was #19

Grisel with a quick pedal job right at the hit, but no help here for Grisel...Sanford with a good pass, but will not improve.

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Left Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 11.728/64.99, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.338/265.48, Was #7
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.298/275.45, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.469/273.88, Was #18

Ahten is up in smoke right at the hit. Demke with a great looking pass to get into the top half of the show. Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.388, 660ft-3.518/219.54 mph, 1,000ft-4.481.

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Left Lane: Michael Manners Runs 5.301/273.00, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.287/273.83, Was #5
Right Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.312/270.64, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.434/270.75, Was #17

This was a good side-by-side drag race...no help for Manners, but another good looking pass. Michael Manners' incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.422, 660ft-3.539/224.36 mph, 1,000ft-4.485. Cowie launched hard and keep it hooked up to get back in the show. Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.924 sec., 330ft-2.378, 660ft-3.512/217.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.483.

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Left Lane: Joey Severance Runs 10.475/96.92, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.258/270.97, Was #4
Right Lane: Ross Stickler Runs 5.403/262.08, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.395/264.75, Was #14

Severance with tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off. Strickler with another good pass, but then at the end of the track there are no chutes. He is trying to get it slowed down, but doen't get stopped and goes into the sand trap.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.676/255.19, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.244/269.24, Was #3
Right Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 5.368/258.96, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.354/258.91, Was #11

Bateman slowed on the top end and will not improve. Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.986 sec., 330ft-2.575, 660ft-3.783/207.53 mph, 1,000ft-4.802. Fricke with another good looking pass, but will not improve. Jackie Fricke's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.459, 660ft-3.568/224.55 mph, 1,000ft-4.522.

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Left Lane: Don St. Arnaud Runs 5.235/282.19, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.209/284.45, Was #1
Right Lane: Megan McKernan Runs 5.255/274.94, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.234/276.92, Was #2

St. Arnaud launched hard and keep it hooked up and hitting on all eight to make the quickest and fastest pass of the session. that pass ties for the seventh fastest pass. Don St. Arnaud's incremental times: 60ft-0.931 sec., 330ft-2.407, 660ft-3.515/227.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.442. McKeran with a great pass, she was right there with him for the second quickest pass of the round. Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.517/228.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.447.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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