Sun, 24 Feb 2019, 15:06 PM Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 752A Josh Edwards                          550 Ed Olpin                     
E1                   0.043  7.491 187.18     ****WINNER****  0.045  7.013 197.94
          TS  Dial: 7.45 (+/-):  0.041              TS  Dial: 6.99 (+/-):  0.023
 Qualified:            #29 11.593 161.57                       #14  6.982 198.93

12:40 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 34 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 1,867 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Just 0.002 difference in RT's and Ed Olpin is quickly out in front for the win. MOV: 0.0167 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7241 Bart Smith                            733 Darin Dolezal                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.023  7.078 179.80                     0.050  7.908 176.37
          TS  Dial: 6.99 (+/-):  0.088              TS  Dial: 7.77 (+/-):  0.138
 Qualified:            #15  6.986 197.68                       #30 11.752 175.73

Dolezal can't run the number and gives the easy win to Smith.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
    3 Doug Crumlich                         730 Bryan LaFlam                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.028  6.893 192.44                     0.067  6.372 237.38
          TS  Dial: 6.88 (+/-):  0.013              TS  Dial: 6.20 (+/-):  0.172
 Qualified:             #9  6.875 201.97                       #24  7.327 197.22

LaFlam has issues down track and slows

Crumlich goes to round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  605 Mike Ferderer                        7980 Joe Roubicek                 
E1                   0.009  7.069 194.97     ****WINNER****  0.021  6.593 202.55
          TS  Dial: 7.05 (+/-):  0.019              TS  Dial: 6.59 (+/-):  0.003
 Qualified:            #18  7.054 193.71                        #3  6.635 207.72

Ferderer hits the tree with a 0.009 light, but Joe Roubicek runs 0.003 to his dial for the super close win. MOV: 0.0041 seconds (approximately 14 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  514 Phil Unruh                           7133 Richard Okerman              
E1                   0.035  6.445 221.49     ****WINNER****  0.018  7.045 193.38
          TS  Dial: 6.44 (+/-):  0.005              TS  Dial: 7.03 (+/-):  0.015
 Qualified:             #1  6.429 226.85                       #16  7.021 195.51

Winner gets the bye run in round two.

Number one qualifier Unruh runs 0.005 to his dial, but Richard Okerman gets the close hole shot win. MOV: 0.0073 seconds (approximately 2 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
   77 Ted Kellner                          6636 Ray Martin                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.041  7.128 192.58                     0.063  6.845 203.55
          TS  Dial: 7.12 (+/-):  0.008              TS  Dial: 6.75 (+/-):  0.095
 Qualified:            #21  7.114 192.85                        #6  6.728 204.23

Kellner has the Firebird drive towards the wall going down the track, but he is able to run just 0.008 to his dial for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
   78 Paul Mitsos                          D712 Phil Dion                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.000  7.088 185.41                     0.193  6.999 174.17
          TS  Dial: 7.04 (+/-):  0.048              TS  Dial: 6.40 (+/-):  0.599
 Qualified:            #17  7.039 194.02                        #2  6.433 225.67

Dion is way late and then has to pedal about 330 out.

Mitsos drives hard to the finish line and takes the win with a perfect light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  777 Doug Bracey                           719 David Armstrong              
E1                   0.061  7.181 180.96     ****WINNER****  0.031  6.789 207.66
          TS  Dial: 7.22 (+/-): -0.039              TS  Dial: 6.71 (+/-):  0.079
 Qualified:            #22  7.202 187.29                        #7  6.738 207.59

David Armstrong has the better RT and pushes Bracey out for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7262 Wayne Newman                           10 Bryan Warr                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.039  6.976 194.80                     0.007  6.999 194.66
          TS  Dial: 6.94 (+/-):  0.036              TS  Dial: 6.91 (+/-):  0.089
 Qualified:            #12  6.928 200.35                       #27  9.750 100.88

Stellar 0.007 light for Warr, but Newman runs much closer to his dial for the six foot win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 6455 Mike Lucas                           6502 Will Yakimetz                
E1                   0.017  7.418 183.99     ****WINNER****  0.006  6.946 197.16
          TS  Dial: 7.40 (+/-):  0.018              TS  Dial: 6.92 (+/-):  0.026
 Qualified:            #25  7.395 183.97                       #10  6.905 197.83

Will Yakimetz puts up a great six light and runs down Lucas right in the lights for the really close hole shot win. MOV: 0.0031 seconds (approximately 10 inches).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7151 Jeff Connelly                           6 Bud Preuss                   
E1                   0.041  6.834 209.88     ****WINNER****  0.016  6.790 185.31
          TS  Dial: 6.72 (+/-):  0.114              TS  Dial: 6.73 (+/-):  0.060
 Qualified:            #19  7.057 213.43                        #4  6.713 205.54

Just 0.010 difference in their dials.

Connelly S-10 drives towards the wall and Preuss stays out in front for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7182 John Taylor Sr.                       664 Ken Ratzloff                 
E1                   0.063  7.577 179.68     ****WINNER****  0.070  7.015 176.14
          TS  Dial: 7.39 (+/-):  0.187              TS  Dial: 6.91 (+/-):  0.105
 Qualified:            #26  7.400 174.89                       #11  6.909 202.48

Taylor's engine bucks and shutters at the green and Ken Ratzloff quickly drives on by for the decisive win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 171M John Taylor Jr                       721P Raul Perez                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.022  7.049 192.22                    -0.012  6.770 203.98
          TS  Dial: 7.06 (+/-): -0.011              TS  Dial: 6.74 (+/-):  0.030
 Qualified:            #20  7.098 193.16                        #5  6.723 205.32

Perez goes red and gives Taylor the easy win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 4396 Sammy Gonzales                         72 Chris Newman                 
E1                   0.178  7.226 182.72     ****WINNER****  0.006  6.860 187.18
          TS  Dial: 7.25 (+/-): -0.024              TS  Dial: 6.76 (+/-):  0.100
 Qualified:            #23  7.229 188.91                        #8  6.746 204.76

Gonzales has a three digit RT and Newman only has one.

Chris Newman's MOV: Took the stripe by 0.0480 seconds (approximately 13 feet), opponent broke out.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7728 Kelly Harper                         7377 Jessie Wooton                
E1   ****WINNER**** -0.500  7.027 198.96                           No Time      
          TS  Dial: 6.95 (+/-):  0.077              TS  Dial: 6.95 (+/-): 93.049
 Qualified:            #13  6.958 200.32                       #28 10.027  90.40

Wooton can't make the call and Harper will get a single to round two.

1:02 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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