Thu, 10 Nov 2022, 17:57 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Brett Williamson Runs 5.514/225.56, Now #2
Right Lane: Mike Austin Runs 5.414/266.32, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 65 degrees, relative humidity 27 percent, barometer 30.07 inches, adjusted altitude 1,609 feet.

Williamson is making his first appearance on the NHRA tour for the first time since Pomona 2 2019.

This is his first time in a Top Alcohol Dragster at a National event since Sonoma 1992 when he attempted to qualify in both dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car.

He is straight down the groove with a good clean pass.

Austin kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight .

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Left Lane: Trevor Larkin Runs 5.431/260.41, Now #3
Right Lane: Travis Shumake Runs 5.376/271.30, Now #1

Larkin launched hard and kept it hooked up to make his career quickest pass. Trevor Larkin's incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.467, 660ft-3.609/219.36 mph, 1,000ft-4.582.

Shumake driving the tribute car to his father...he is straight down the groove. Travis Shumake's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.469, 660ft-3.613/031.49 mph, 1,000ft-4.561.

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Left Lane: Eric Chesleigh Runs 5.335/268.87, Now #1
Right Lane: Kim Parker Runs 11.012/80.85, Now #6

Chesleigh kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to make his career quickest and fastest pass to go to the number one spot. Eric Chesleigh's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.408, 660ft-3.542/220.37 mph, 1,000ft-4.507.

Parker lost traction early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.365/271.90, Now #2
Right Lane: Ron Anderson Runs 5.377/272.78, Now #4

A couple good clean pass to go to the number two and four spots.

Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.419, 660ft-3.561/217.56 mph, 1,000ft-4.538.

Ron Anderson's incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.606/223.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.558.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.391/273.94, Now #5
Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 10.594/85.06, Now #9

Bateman is straight down the groove to move into the top half of the show. Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.985 sec., 330ft-2.511, 660ft-3.633/224.92 mph, 1,000ft-4.577.

Ahten starts to mix up cylinders early and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.420/270.16, Now #7
Right Lane: Tom Fox Jr. Runs 5.607/255.43, Now #10

Grisel with a good clean pass. He moves into the top half of the show.

Fox Jr. starts to mix up cylinders on the top end.

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Left Lane: Taylor Vetter Runs 5.298/279.67, Now #2
Right Lane: Madison Payne Runs 5.275/278.35, Now #1

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

Vetter kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number two spot. Taylor Vetter's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.429, 660ft-3.545/223.10 mph, 1,000ft-4.493.

Payne continues on her roll...she is straight down the groove. She goes to the number one spot. Madison Payne's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.417, 660ft-3.533/225.15 mph, 1,000ft-4.472.

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Left Lane: Julie Nataas Runs 5.325/267.00, Now #3
Right Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 11.597/71.00, Now #16

Nataas with a good clean pass to go to the number three spot. Julie Nataas' incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.443, 660ft-3.559/225.30 mph, 1,000ft-4.500.

Fricke lost traction right at the hit and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.231/274.66, Now #2
Right Lane: Matthew Cummings Runs 5.201/276.41, Now #1

They make a couple great pass.

Cowie to the number two spot...Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.356, 660ft-3.464/223.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.416.

Cummings is in the points battle. Cummings kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Matthew Cummings' incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.390, 660ft-3.470/231.60 mph, 1,000ft-4.396.

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Left Lane: Jasmine Salinas Runs 5.270/276.46, Now #3
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.585/271.08, Now #16

Salinas is chasing the point leader and she makes a great pass to go to the number four spot. Jasmine Salinas' incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.413, 660ft-3.524/225.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.463.

Severance the point leader nd he starts to lose traction and pedals it. He gets in the show on the bubble.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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