Sat, 16 Feb 2013, 20:15 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, 53rd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  527 Edwin Schmeeckle                      613 Joey Severance               
E1                   0.015  5.495 256.60     ****WINNER****  0.050  5.397 263.92
 Qualified:            #12  5.542 239.44                        #5  5.330 265.33

4:39 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 28.88 inches, adjusted altitude 2,729 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Lots of upsets in TAFC! This is Ed Schmeeckle's first race since Topeka in 2011. He is a 4-time All Star and former Division 5 champion.

Schmeeckle gets a big lead at the green and holds off a charging Severance until right after the 330 lights.

Severance pulls steadily ahead after that and then has the blower bang right before the lights. A win is a win!

Joey Severance's MOV: 0.0632 seconds (approximately 24 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  704 William Litton                        663 Ray Martin                   
E1                   0.117 10.824  93.00     ****WINNER****  0.087  5.358 268.33
 Qualified:            #13  5.613 256.60                        #4  5.330 268.60

Martin is away first and runs right on down the track for an easy win.

Litton strikes the tires right at the green, pumps it a couple of times and finally gives it up.

Martin will keep lane choice in the next round over Severance.

Ray Martin's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.391, 660ft-3.539/215.24 mph, 1,000ft-4.522.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  734 Johnny Ahten                           75 Megan McKernan               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  5.597 246.75                     0.088  5.616 266.64
 Qualified:            #10  5.457 255.82                        #7  5.351 252.38

This is the first time Ahten and McKernan have faced each other in eliminations.

Lost of cylinders out going down the track for Ahten, but he still gets there first, after a small hole shot.

McKernan was back out in front at the 60 foot lights, but the car moves hard towards the center line and loses a lot of time from there.

Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.980 sec., 330ft-2.517, 660ft-3.691/211.69 mph, 1,000ft-4.704.
Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.946 sec., 330ft-2.591, 660ft-3.792/213.03 mph, 1,000ft-4.777.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  712 Larry Miersch                         597 Greg Hunter                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.039  5.495 269.94                     0.048 10.729  70.71
 Qualified:             #9  5.435 270.27                        #8  5.383 263.82

This is the first time Miersch and Hunter have faced each other in eliminations.

Miersch gets off the line first, but Hunter drives on by. The alcohol car gets loose before the 330 lights and Miersch gets the lead and keeps it for the rest of the run.

Larry Miersch's incremental times: 60ft-0.959 sec., 330ft-2.503, 660ft-3.668/214.89 mph, 1,000ft-4.654.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                          888 Fred Hanssen                 
E1                  -0.017  5.560 261.37     ****WINNER****  0.023  5.395 266.74
 Qualified:            #11  5.475 261.12                        #6  5.342 266.58

This is the first time Grisel and Hanssen have faced each other in eliminations. Casey Grisel is making his first start after two DNQ"s at the end of last year. Jerry Darien is doing the tuning.

Grisel is too quick on the lights and gives the easy win to Hanssen.

Hanssen wasn't going to be easy to beat, as he runs another strong five thirty pass.

Fred Hanssen's MOV: opponent's red light.

Casey Grisel's incremental times: 60ft-0.986 sec., 330ft-2.554, 660ft-3.723/215.10 mph, 1,000ft-4.709.
Fred Hanssen's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.427, 660ft-3.574/215.51 mph, 1,000ft-4.557.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  611 Garrett Bateman                         2 Chris Demke                  
E1                   0.027 13.516  61.90     ****WINNER****  0.044  5.287 268.97
 Qualified:            #15  5.670 259.76                        #2  5.273 270.92

Demke is 1 - 0 against Bateman in prior events. Chris Demke won both Pomona races last year and he has won the Winternationals in 2 of the last three years. He was number two at the end of 2012.

Bateman scores his only advantage at the green with a better RT. Things go bad right after that, as the tires are up in smoke right after that.

Demke's "new" car keeps laying down great numbers and he will have lane choice over Ahten in round two tomorrow.

Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.897 sec., 330ft-2.332, 660ft-3.473/216.72 mph, 1,000ft-4.454.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Duane Shields                        6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E1                   0.088  5.392 264.44     ****WINNER****  0.054  5.360 256.80
 Qualified:            #14  5.651 253.99                        #3  5.309 274.16

Shields is 2 - 0 against St. Arnaud in prior events. Duane Shield won the Winternationals in three of the last seven years. This is Don St. Arnaud's best starting position in his nine races.

It's St. Arnaud from start to finish. The engine starts to get unhappy down track, but Shields can catch him before the lights.

St.Arnaud will have lane choice over Hanssen tomorrow.

Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.449, 660ft-3.587/220.08 mph, 1,000ft-4.553.
Don St. Arnaud's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.429, 660ft-3.554/222.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.514.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7303 Brooks Brown                            1 Jim Whiteley                 
E1                   0.073  5.677 219.44     ****WINNER****  0.047  5.281 272.28
 Qualified:            #16  5.692 235.72                        #1  5.251 273.27

Whiteley is 2 - 0 against Brown in prior events.

Brown gives it a valiant effort, but the engine starts to drop cylinders down track and slows.

Another great pass for Whiteley. He gets off the line first and runs the best times of the session in the easy win.

Brooks Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.959 sec., 330ft-2.480, 660ft-3.661/206.99 mph, 1,000ft-4.711.
Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.357, 660ft-3.487/219.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.457.

5:08 p.m. Whiteley will have lane choice over Miersch in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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