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Sat, 4 Nov 2006, 11:11 PM

Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Larry Sullivan

LAS VEGAS - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, Shortline Express Markets Gambler Shootout at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 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:

Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.426/265.90, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.510/232.47, Was #7
Right Lane: Steve Federlin Runs 5.474/260.97, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.515/259.81, Was #8

7:20 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 22 percent, barometer 26.44 inches, adjusted altitude 4,579 feet, track temperature 78 degrees.

This was also the final round for the Top Gun Raceway event. Both drivers improved their qualifying positions, Demke going to the top half of the field. Jim Whiteley is now on the bump spot at 5.508.

Left Lane: Dave Heitzman Runs 6.787/251.02, Now #20; Best prior run: 15.663/73.36, Was #23
Right Lane: Randy Eakins Runs 6.839/209.30, Now #21; No Prior Run

Both drivers had problems with traction, pedaling a couple times and dropping cylinders. Eakins made his quickest run ever despite the problems, then had no brakes and went into the sand pit at the top of the hill.

Left Lane: Mark Foster Runs 6.886/202.73, Now #22; Best prior run: 7.338/139.66, Was #24
Right Lane: Dick Garlets Runs 5.689/241.45, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.915/238.89, Was #18

Garlets made his best run of the weekend, came up well short of the bump time. Foster picked up a half-second and 70 mph over his first run, but was well off the competitive pace.

Left Lane: Aaron Olivarez Runs 7.408/132.05, Now #24; Best prior run: 7.318/126.68, Was #24
Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 18.533/66.03, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.850/227.42, Was #17

Olivarez had a big scare last round, the steering breaking after he lost traction. He wisely got the car stopped as quickly as possible without major damage, but this was his last chance to make the field.

Ahten smoked the tires almost immediately. Olivarez got about 150 feet, then also lost traction. he pedaled, but threw in the towel on the top end.

Left Lane: Ed Vickroy Runs 6.284/190.06, Now #19; Best prior run: 7.136/193.65, Was #23
Right Lane: Darryl Hitchman Runs 16.057/67.44, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.845/251.95, Was #16

Lots of drama for both teams! Vickroy was unable to get the tires spinning on the burnout. Hitchman's crew fired the engine, then frantically worked on the barrel valve before switching from alcohol to nitromethane.

No luck, Hitchman lost traction immediately, Vickroy's engine was firing erratically, the cylinders coming in and out.

Left Lane: Jeff Isbell Runs 5.602/255.00, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.665/145.06, Was #20
Right Lane: Sean O'Bannon Runs 5.368/267.53, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.670/262.69, Was #14

O'Bannon shot right to the top of the list - and John Finke is skipping this session to concentrate on their raceday setup, so Finke won't attempt to retake the position. Isbell made a good run, but was not quick enough. Now Mark Niver is on the bump spot at 5.494.

Left Lane: Brian Smith Runs 5.808/249.86, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.865/247.97, Was #19
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 5.468/264.49, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.615/262.90, Was #15

Smith improved slightly, but Force went right down the groove with no traction problems to bump into the field. However, she is very close to the bump spot and may not be safe. Steve Federlin is now on the bump spot at 5.474.

Left Lane: Frank Dischbein Runs 10.381/81.37, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.597/256.26, Was #14
Right Lane: Kate Harker Runs 5.495/256.99, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.557/246.71, Was #12

Dischbein's car shook and fishtailed several times before he lifted. Harker made her third career-best run in a row (the first one was easy because it was her first official pass), came up a couple spots short of the field.

Left Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.622/260.01, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.585/260.51, Was #13
Right Lane: Mark Niver Runs 5.434/256.55, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.494/240.98, Was #9

Both these cars should already be in the field, both had assorted problems in the second session and did not go down the track.

Severance shook and made a violent move toward the centerline, almost crossing. Niver made a nice, straight, pass, the header flames strong and steady. He got in, bumping Federlin. Now Ashley Force is on the bump spot at 5.468.

Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.349/261.67, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.556/259.21, Was #12

THis was another car that should have been already qualified - and at his hometown track. So how does he respond? He goes right down the groove and to the top of the class. That bumped Force, putting Larry Miersch on the bump spot at 5.461.

Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.475/237.09, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.508/254.90, Was #12
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.535/259.46, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.381/262.08, Was #4

Whitely started the session on the bump spot and we are one car away from the quickest field ever. However, he needed to run close to his career-best 5.451 elapsed time to get in.

He came through - almost, the burst panel letting go short of the finish line. It was a good run until then. Bateman made a good-looking run, but it just wasn't quick enough.

Left Lane: Larry Miersch Runs 5.494/243.11, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.461/253.04, Was #8

Miersch was the last car of the session and was already in, so all he was looking for was a better starting position. He made a good effort, but the car dropped a cylinder on the top end and the car slowed a bit.

That's it, Miersch will race #1 qualifier Duane Shields in the first round tomorrow.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink