Sat, 08 Feb 2020, 14:13 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com:

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
  713 Jerry Kumre                          7031 Nick Childers                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.098  6.080 164.85                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #7  5.508 253.95                        #8  5.696 235.06 

10:49 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 43 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,756 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Childers is a no show.

Kumre makes a stong half pass and clicks it early.

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
  515 James Stevens                         672 Mike Austin                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.073  5.441 265.74                     0.078  5.994 235.72 
 Qualified:             #6  5.395 267.59                        #9  5.811 238.34 

James Stevens was just 0.005 behind at the green, but takes the easy win, as Austin has to do a quick pedal slap early.

James Stevens' incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.399, 660ft-3.584/208.81 mph, 1,000ft-4.593.
Mike Austin's incremental times: 60ft-1.022 sec., 330ft-2.613, 660ft-3.917/188.17 mph, 1,000ft-5.041.

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
  613 Joey Severance                        750 Dusty Green                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.099  5.632 265.48                     0.067  5.878 214.86 
 Qualified:             #4  5.269 236.13                       #11  6.074 220.55 

Green gets away first and makes his best run of the weekend by a bunch. Severance has some shake off the line and it sounded like a quick pedal job. He gathers it back up and finally runs Green down after half track for the win.

Joey Severance's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.028), 330 ft(-0.028), 660ft(-0.018), 1,000ft(0.054). MOV: 0.2145 seconds (approximately 68 feet).

Joey Severance's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.549, 660ft-3.766/208.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.780.
Dusty Green's incremental times: 60ft-0.976 sec., 330ft-2.553, 660ft-3.780/200.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.866.

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
    5 Duane Shields                         734 Johnny Ahten                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.133  5.310 278.81                     0.059  5.465 267.53 
 Qualified:            #10  6.044 254.66                        #5  5.369 264.70 

Shields is late and has to chase Ahten to past the 330 lights before pulling ahead for the decisive win. He will have lane choice over Severance next round.

Fastest pass of the weekend for Ahten.

Duane Shields' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.081), 330 ft(-0.008), 660ft(0.025), 1,000ft(0.052). MOV: 0.0814 seconds (approximately 32 feet).

Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.455, 660ft-3.569/226.05 mph, 1,000ft-4.507.
Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.521, 660ft-3.668/219.72 mph, 1,000ft-4.633.

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
   10 Chris Demke                           724 Casey Grisel                 
E1                   0.027  5.304 273.22     ****WINNER****  0.000  5.292 268.60 
 Qualified:             #3  5.231 277.26                       #12  6.536 161.69 

A perfect light for Casey Grisel! He holds off a charging Demke until right at the 330 lights, where he just gets a wheel on him. His dragster has the power and pulls steadily back ahead for the win.

Stevens will be in the other lane next round.

Casey Grisel's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.014), 330 ft(-0.002), 660ft(0.018), 1,000ft(0.042). MOV: 0.0395 seconds (approximately 16 feet).

Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.371, 660ft-3.505/218.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.480.
Casey Grisel's incremental times: 60ft-0.931 sec., 330ft-2.400, 660ft-3.514/224.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.465.

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
   68 Ron Anderson                            7 Garrett Bateman              
E1                   0.214 11.074  85.68     ****WINNER****  0.084  5.410 264.55 
 Qualified:            #13 10.353  83.53                        #2  5.189 277.77 

Winner will get the bye run in round two.

Anderson's tires are smoking hard at the green.

Bateman runs without issue and may have clicked it a little early.

Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.433, 660ft-3.587/217.14 mph, 1,000ft-4.566.

 

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 
        Bye                                   2 Shawn Cowie                  
E1                                            ****WINNER****  0.095 22.280  29.84 
 Qualified:                                                       #1  5.181 280.08 

Cowie gets the bye run to round two, where he will meet Kumre but without lane choice!

The tune up is just too strong for the track and the slicks are spinning and smoking right at the green.

11:07 a.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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