Thu, 9 Nov 2006, 04:23 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 42nd annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: James Day Runs 5.677/249.63, Now #2
Right Lane: Aaron Olivarez Runs 5.456/257.78, Now #1

12:29 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 29.06 inches, adjusted altitude 2,200 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

The early gloomy conditions have melted away and we have just a haze on the horizon.

Day's engine has a hole out at the hit, but he still makes a nice pass. Olivarez has a nice .945 sixty foot time and makes a clean pass to set the pace for the rest of the field.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.395/256.65, Now #1
Right Lane: Brian Smith Runs 5.429/255.73, Now #2

Two moore fueler's to the line. Bateman was the winner last week at the Vegas LODRS race and continues to show his power. Smith runs a career best ET and MPH right beside him, even as he slowed at the top end.

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Left Lane: Dick Garlets Runs 5.620/244.78, Now #5
Right Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.402/258.91, Now #2

We finally get a blown alcohol car in the right lane. The long cars are having a better time navigating the Pomona track as we get two more great passes. Garlets car moved towards the centerline near the top end, but he pulled it back away from the lights.

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Left Lane: Sean O'Bannon Runs 5.342/268.06, Now #1
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.417/264.39, Now #4

A great side by side run for both cars and we have a new top qualifier. The blown cars stayed straight and true from start to finish.

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Left Lane: Frank Dischbein Runs 5.620/256.26, Now #8
Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.541/246.30, Now #7

Ahten is running the former Shelly Anderson TF'er. Dischbein has some shake off the line and drives through it to tie his prior best MPH. Ahten's engine starts to drop cylinders near the top end and it hurt his times.

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Left Lane: Mark Niver Runs 5.374/256.06, Now #2
Right Lane: Carl Magee No Time, Now #12

Niver's Billet Bullet fueler will get a single, as Magee can't get the engine started. Nice pass until near the lights, where more and more candles are blown out. He still runs well enough to take over the current #2 spot.

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Left Lane: Darryl Hitchman Runs 5.477/264.08, Now #9
Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.347/265.95, Now #2

Shields continues to thunder and makes strong pass into the #2 spot.

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Left Lane: Ashley Force Runs 5.415/264.13, Now #6
Right Lane: Dave Hirata Runs 10.718/85.28, Now #15

Hirata has a little problem getting the engine to start and Force patiently waits for him. He strikes the tires at the hit and is up in smoke big time. Force makes her pass without any drama and will have something to use for tomorrow's tune up.

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Left Lane: Brandon Pierce Runs 5.412/247.66, Now #7
Right Lane: John Finke Runs 5.273/268.60, Now #1

BANG! Finke makes a statement with all the candles lit. We have a new leader for ET and MPH. Pierce starts to drop cylinders by mid-track and still makes the current top half of the field.

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 5.333/267.80, Now #3
Right Lane: Bill Reichert Runs 5.265/274.00, Now #1

Day was on the bump with a 5.677, but the hits keep coming with two more great passes. The fuelers are making it look easy this weekend.

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Left Lane: Cody Perkins Runs 6.088/163.45, Now #20
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.428/262.90, Now #12

Perkins is away on a good one until just before mid-track, where the car slows. Severance keeps it straight and moves into the field.

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Left Lane: Dave Heitzman Runs 14.178/72.99, Now #23
Right Lane: Steve Federlin Runs 5.415/264.60, Now #10

Heitzman smokes the tires at the hit, while Federlin makes a good tune up pass, but misses the top half of the field.

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Right Lane: Lee Callaway Runs 14.244/73.62, Now #24

Callaway will be the twenty-fifth dragster to attempt to qualify, but he strikes the tires at the green and slows.

1:14 p.m. Reichert will be your number one qualifier and Hitchman will take the bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink