Fri, 12 Nov 2021, 18:02 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 Camping World Drag Racing Series, 56th 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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Left Lane: Trevor Larkin Runs 5.611/247.75, Now #11; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 30.02 inches, adjusted altitude 3,216 feet.

Larkin is straight down the groove with good looking pass.

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Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.478/227.38, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.499/268.81, Was #10
Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 8.327/106.13, Now #14; Best prior run: 14.803/62.58, Was #17

Demke was on a good looking pass until right in the lights when engine went away with a big cloud of engine smoke. He improves on his E.T., but will stay in the number 10 spot.

Ahten starts to lose traction early and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.406/270.81, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.476/272.01, Was #8
Right Lane: Taylor Vetter Runs 12.476/93.02, Now #17; Best prior run: 14.724/75.26, Was #17

Bateman launched hard and kept it hooked up to move into the top half of the show. Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.491, 660ft-3.626/221.63 mph, 1,000ft-4.582.

Vetter was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Eric Chesleigh Runs 5.429/265.22, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.406/254.81, Was #8
Right Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.307/274.66, Now #6; Best prior run: 9.052/93.20, Was #16

Chesleigh was on a good pass until right in the lights when it started to drop cylinders. He gets bumped out of the top half of the show by Grisel.

Grisel launched hard and kept it hooked up to get off the bump spot and up into the top half of the show. Casey Grisel's incremental times: 60ft-0.960 sec., 330ft-2.440, 660ft-3.551/224.81 mph, 1,000ft-4.495.

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Left Lane: Mitch Myers Runs 17.628/68.45, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.400/266.69, Was #7
Right Lane: Kim Parker Runs 5.462/255.05, Now #10; Best prior run: 8.724/136.95, Was #16

Myers is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

Parker was making a good looking pass until right in the lights when it started to drop cylinders. She gets off the bump spot up to the number 10 spot. Kim Parker's incremental times: 60ft-0.980 sec., 330ft-2.488, 660ft-3.628/219.83 mph, 1,000ft-4.600.

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Left Lane: James Stevens Runs 7.436/153.14, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.268/273.88, Was #5
Right Lane: Jasmine Salinas Runs 5.479/229.78, Now #13; Best prior run: 8.208/98.85, Was #15

Stevens with severe tire shake right at the hit and clicks it off.

Salinas started to drop cylinders on the top end. She still moves up on the ladder a couple spots. Jasmine Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.966 sec., 330ft-2.455, 660ft-3.594/220.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.561.

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Left Lane: Dan Mercier Runs 8.323/98.82, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.260/272.17, Was #3
Right Lane: Madison Payne Runs 5.237/278.12, Now #2; Best prior run: 7.739/111.13, Was #15

Mercier lost traction early and clicked it off.

Payne launched hard and kept it hitting on all eight all the way down the track to go to the number two spot. Madison Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.410, 660ft-3.500/228.19 mph, 1,000ft-4.433.

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Left Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 5.218/276.86, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.245/277.94, Was #3
Right Lane: Rich McPhillips Jr. Runs 5.184/266.69, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.476/269.35, Was #12

This was a great side-by-side drag race.

Fricke kept it hooked up and was straight down the groove to the number two spot. She has another great pass...Jackie Fricke's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.379, 660ft-3.481/227.69 mph, 1,000ft-4.414.

McPhillips was on a great pass and then just past half track it started to drop cylinders on the right side. He still goes to the number one spot. Rich McPhillips Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.361, 660ft-3.433/231.99 mph, 1,000ft-4.361.

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Left Lane: Julie Nataas Runs 5.195/273.05, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.232/274.72, Was #3
Right Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.252/277.49, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.261/277.89, Was #6

Nataas with a great looking pass, she kept it hooked up. It was hitting on all eight all the way down the 1320. She makes another great pass to go to the number two spot. Julie Nataas' incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.377, 660ft-3.463/230.96 mph, 1,000ft-4.386.

Cowie with another good looking pass to move up the ladder a spot...Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.371, 660ft-3.487/222.11 mph, 1,000ft-4.441.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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