Fri, 31 May 2019, 21:08 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals 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: Mitch Myers Runs 5.363/267.43, Now #8; Best prior run: 18.016/66.40, Was #19

7:31 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 55 percent, barometer 29.12 inches, adjusted altitude 3,171 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

Meyer had traction problems on the first pass. he goes right down the groove here with a good pass and moves up to the eighth spot.

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Left Lane: Dave Kovar Runs 5.604/242.28, Now #16; Best prior run: 14.726/68.18, Was #18
Right Lane: Jasmine Salinas Runs 19.945/37.56, Now #19; Best prior run: 16.812/48.78, Was #19

Salinas goes up in smoke at the hit and is off the throttle about 60 feet out. Kovar makes a clean pass to get in on the bump spot for now.

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Left Lane: Will Smith Runs 5.481/259.96, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.118/242.58, Was #17
Right Lane: Marina Anderson Runs 5.430/255.00, Now #13; Best prior run: 11.871/73.89, Was #18

Anderson goes right down the groove with a career best pass to get in the field in the 13th spot for now. Smith makes a decent pass and gets in the show for now.

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Left Lane: Shane Conway Runs 5.473/259.81, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.595/256.21, Was #17
Right Lane: Krista Baldwin Runs 5.370/273.00, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.512/265.27, Was #16

Baldwin gets out of the groove early, gets very close to the centerline around half track, but stays on the throttle and makes a good pass to get off of the bump spot and move up to ninth for now. Conway makes a clean pass and gets in the show on the bump spot for now.

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Left Lane: Josh Hart Runs 5.461/264.29, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.447/268.92, Was #15
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.282/275.00, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.387/272.89, Was #11

Demke goes down the groove with a good pass and improves to the fourth spot for now. Hart improves a little but will stay in the 15th spot for now.

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Left Lane: Tom Fox Jr. Runs 6.014/136.37, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.392/268.71, Was #13
Right Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 5.330/278.92, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.384/277.60, Was #11

Fox drifts a little to the left, gets about 1100 feet out and bangs the blower. Fricke improves and moves up to the sixth spot.

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Left Lane: Jared Dreher Runs 5.387/261.98, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.391/259.71, Was #12
Right Lane: Rachel Meyer Runs 5.377/269.08, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.347/268.22, Was #8

Dreher makes a good pass and improves slightly but not enough to move up in the order. Meyer makes a decent pass but slows from her earlier attempt.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.321/272.78, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.362/270.86, Was #9
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 6.370/150.15, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.334/271.62, Was #7

Severance was on a decent pass but the engine went silent around half track, not sure why. Bateman makes a good pass and moves up to the sixth spot.

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Left Lane: Megan Meyer Runs 5.334/273.50, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.250/275.28, Was #2
Right Lane: Robin Samsel Runs 5.342/266.69, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.315/271.68, Was #5

A good side-by-side but neither driver improves on their earlier passes.

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Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.230/277.03, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.250/278.63, Was #1
Right Lane: Troy Coughlin Jr. Runs 5.264/273.72, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.255/277.37, Was #3

The best side-by-side of the day, both right down the groove with good, clean passes. Shields makes an impressive pass to take the top spot, Coughlin slows and stays in third.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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