Sat, 01 Nov 2025, 21:32 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   79 Shaunda Blinzler                       10 Madison Payne                
E1                   0.114  5.286 272.50     ****WINNER****  0.094  5.242 271.24
 Qualified:            #16  5.360 271.41                        #1  5.181 276.41

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 25 percent, barometer 29.99 inches, adjusted altitude 3,578 feet.

This is the first time Blinzler and Payne have faced each other in eliminations.

This is Madison Payne's 1st #1 spot since Pomona-2, 2024. The #16 TAD qualifier is 1 - 16 in Rd. 1 at this event.

Payne with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 8690 Cheyne Phillips                       672 Mike Austin                  
E1                   0.031  5.285 269.51     ****WINNER****  0.019  5.292 270.97
 Qualified:             #4  5.221 274.27                       #13  5.337 271.30

Cheyne Phillips is the 655th driver to qualify in TAD. The #13 TAD qualifier is 3 - 14 in Rd. 1 at this event.

Austin with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win in a close one. Mike Austin's MOV: 0.0053 seconds (approximately 2 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 412M Julio Rodriguez                       450 Kirk Wolf                    
E1                   0.094  5.261 266.48     ****WINNER****  0.061  5.275 269.56
 Qualified:             #9  5.287 271.35                        #8  5.268 268.92

Julio Rodriguez's 5.287 in qualifying is a career best.

Wolf with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. He will give lane choice to Payne in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Shawn Cowie                             7 Angelle Sampey               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.080  5.316 272.01                     0.054  5.390 271.19
 Qualified:             #6  5.248 273.05                       #11  5.297 272.94

Shawn Cowie wins 80% of his Rd. 1 races. Angelle Sampey beat Cowie in the semi-finals at Indy last year (their only meeting)

Sampey is 1 - 0 against Cowie in prior events.

Sampey with the starting line advantage, but cowie had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6871 McKenna Bold                            3 Jackie Fricke                
E1                   0.066  5.338 266.95     ****WINNER****  0.076  5.280 267.27
 Qualified:            #12  5.303 271.90                        #5  5.223 273.55

Jackie Fricke 76 - 51 in Rd. 1 in her career (8 - 2 this year). The #12 TAD qualifier is 6 - 11 in Rd. 1 at this event.

This is the first time Bold and Fricke have faced each other in eliminations.

Bold with the starting line advantage, but Fricke had the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. She will have lane choice over Austin in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7196 Melanie Johnson                      T200 Anthony Troyer               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.074  5.280 274.89                     0.065  5.319 271.13
 Qualified:             #7  5.256 271.46                       #10  5.295 267.22

Anthony Troyer is 2 - 0 against Melanie Johnson this year. Melanie is 10 - 7 against everyone else in 2025.

Troyer is 1 - 0 against Johnson in prior events.

Troyer with the starting line advantage, but Johnson chased him down just past 330 feet and never trailed from there on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7848 Jon Bradford                         710V Taylor Januik                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.033  5.220 275.28                     0.039  5.324 270.00
 Qualified:             #3  5.220 271.41                       #14  5.344 269.19

Jon Bradford is 4 - 2 in Rd. 1 this year

This is the first time Bradford and Januik have faced each other in eliminations.

Bradford with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  613 Joey Severance                        734 Johnny Ahten                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.062  5.231 278.58                     0.122  5.315 255.97
 Qualified:             #2  5.208 274.89                       #15  5.348 261.88

Joey Severance is 5 - 0 in Rd. 1 this year. This is Johnny Ahten's 2nd race this year.

Severance is 7 - 2 against Ahten in prior events.

Severance with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He keeps his Championship hopes alive.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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