Sat, 13 Nov 2021, 14:04 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 3 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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Right Lane: Trevor Larkin Runs 5.514/256.94, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.611/247.75, Was #15

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 30.08 inches, adjusted altitude 2,648 feet.

Larkin is straight down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend. He stays in the number 15 spot. Trevor Larkin's incremental times: 60ft-0.974 sec., 330ft-2.516, 660ft-3.678/215.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.660.

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Left Lane: Taylor Vetter Runs 10.781/75.92, Now #17; Best prior run: 12.476/93.02, Was #17
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.402/238.30, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.478/227.38, Was #13

Vetter with tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off. She will not get in the show.

Demke was on a good looking pass until on the top end when it banged the blower. He still makes his quickest pass of the weekend to move up the ladder three spots. Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.396, 660ft-3.537/217.49 mph, 1,000ft-4.517.

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Left Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.374/276.18, Now #9; Best prior run: 8.327/106.13, Was #16
Right Lane: Eric Chesleigh Runs 13.247/83.39, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.406/254.81, Was #12

Ahten gets it to hook up all the way down the track to get off the bump and up to the number nine spot. Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.472, 660ft-3.607/221.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.562.

Chesleigh's car does move when the light turns green and he drives on down the track.

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Left Lane: Jasmine Salinas Runs 5.221/280.60, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.479/229.78, Was #15
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 12.971/69.45, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.406/270.81, Was #12

Salinas rattles the tires right at the hit. She drives through it and makes her quickest pass of the weekend to go to the number four spot. Jasmine Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.422, 660ft-3.510/230.84 mph, 1,000ft-4.430.

Bateman shook and shut off right at the hit.

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Left Lane: Kim Parker Runs 10.967/76.35, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.462/255.05, Was #15
Right Lane: Mitch Myers Runs 15.842/69.37, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.400/266.69, Was #11

Both cars are up in smoke right at the hit and both shut off and coast on down track.

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Left Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 14.159/71.77, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.307/274.66, Was #9
Right Lane: James Stevens Runs 5.248/274.39, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.268/273.88, Was #8

Grisel is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and clicks it off.

Stevens has it hitting on all eight all the way down the 1320 to make his quickest pass of the weekend. He moves up on the ladder a couple spots. James Stevens' incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.344, 660ft-3.466/220.40 mph, 1,000ft-4.428.

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Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.216/277.72, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.252/277.49, Was #7
Right Lane: Dan Mercier Runs 12.853/66.98, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.260/272.17, Was #8

Cowie launched hard and kept it hooked up to make his quickest pass of the weekend. He goes to the number seven spot. Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.343, 660ft-3.457/222.18 mph, 1,000ft-4.408.

Mercier is up in smoke right at the hit and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Madison Payne Runs 5.382/273.50, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.237/278.12, Was #6
Right Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 5.178/278.63, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.218/276.86, Was #4

Payne started to make a move toward the centerline, she reeled it in the groove. She was straight down the groove from there on, but will not improve. Madison Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.456, 660ft-3.609/220.84 mph, 1,000ft-4.565.

Fricke launched hard and kept it hooked up all the way down the 1320 to go to the number one spot. Jackie Fricke's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.369, 660ft-3.456/230.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.379.

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Left Lane: Rich McPhillips Jr. Runs 5.155/274.66, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.184/266.69, Was #2
Right Lane: Julie Nataas Runs 17.840/40.18, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.195/273.05, Was #3

McPhillips Jr. kept it hitting on all eight and hooked up to go to the number one spot. Rich McPhillips Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.378, 660ft-3.444/234.41 mph, 1,000ft-4.354. McPhillips Jr. is number one qualifier for the second time in his career.

Nataas is up in smoke right at the hit, and clicks it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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