Sun, 1 Jun 2008, 05:00 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  777 Mark Niver                             74 Chris Demke                  
E4   ****WINNER****  0.064  5.490 263.41                     0.142  5.447 264.49
 Prior rounds:
E3    (J Whiteley  ) 0.043  5.476 261.42      (S Cowie     ) 0.049  5.379 266.21
E2    (T Bayer     ) 0.060  5.436 262.59      (A Tatum     ) 0.018  5.420 265.53
E1    (B Force     ) 0.086  5.475 258.86      (B Pierce    ) 0.036  5.449 264.13
 Qualified:             #3  5.374 264.03                        #4  5.412 265.64

3:52 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 89 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 28.79 inches, adjusted altitude 3,941 feet, track temperature 128 degrees.

Neither of these drivers has won a National Event, although Niver came close by making it to the final round last year at the Winternationals, and Demke has made two final round appearances here at this event. Niver's first divisional event final was in 1977.

Demke was a little late at the tree and that was all Mark Niver needed to take the holeshot win!

Mark Niver's incremental margins: 60ft(0.052), 330 ft(0.011), 660ft(0.014), 1,000ft(0.032). MOV: 0.0359 seconds (approximately 14 feet).

Mark Niver's incremental times: 60ft-0.981 sec., 330ft-2.507, 660ft-3.666/216.27mph, 1,000ft-4.646
Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.440, 660ft-3.602/212.46mph, 1,000ft-4.600

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink