Sat, 4 Apr 2009, 09:34 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Tenth annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6610 Brandon Johnson                        51 Edwin Schmeeckle             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061 No Time                          -0.018 No Time      
 Qualified:            #13  5.603 265.27                        #4  5.426 264.65

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 16 percent, barometer 27.89 inches, adjusted altitude 3,440 feet, track temperature 84 degrees.

Schmeeckle turns on the red light and then starts drifting out of the groove and collects the finish line cones. Johnson's time won't count because of Schmeeckle taking out the finish line cones.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Shawn Cowie                           712 Larry Miersch                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.424 264.44                     0.028  5.537 257.92
 Qualified:             #3  5.401 264.23                       #14  5.614 247.93

Miersch with a big starting line advantage, but Cowie has the difference made up by 250 feet. He takes the win light by 0562 seconds (approximately 21 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7107 Jeff Isbell                           745 Brittany Force               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  5.534 254.23                     0.127  5.621 250.92
 Qualified:             #6  5.452 261.42                       #11  5.596 252.24

Isbell is the defending event champion...Isbell with the starting line advantage and holds on as it is mixing up cylinders on the top end. They both slow from their qualifying times. He will give up lane choice to Cowie in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Jim Whiteley                         6715 Doug Hegge                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.075  5.320 268.33                     0.148  5.824 250.60
 Qualified:             #1  5.327 268.33                       #16  5.837 248.29

Whiteley was out of the gate first and never looked back as he ran low E.T. of the event and matches his top speed of the event. Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.917 sec., 330ft-2.360, 660ft-3.502/219.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.484. Hegge runs his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   72 Chris Demke                           744 Courtney Force               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.047  5.389 261.52                     0.071  6.053 240.55
 Qualified:             #2  5.361 263.51                       #17  5.870 250.74

Force is in as an alternate for Swearingen...Demke with a starting line and good looking pass to move into the next round. force was dropping a bunch of cylinders as soon as she hit the throttle.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   65 Justin Davis                         6455 Dale Carlson                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.022  5.463 263.46                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #5  5.437 266.16                       #12  5.601 236.63

Carlson left before the tree was activated...it appeared to be a good pass. Davis with the easy win. He will have lane choice against Johnson in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  734 Johnny Ahten                          777 Mark Niver                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.054  5.529 242.19                     0.102  5.518 255.68
 Qualified:             #7  5.482 249.26                       #10  5.528 250.46

Ahten with a big starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Johnny Ahten's MOV: 0.0373 seconds (approximately 14 feet). Niver with his quickest pass in a losing effort. Ahten slows from his qualifying time. Ahten will give up lane choice to Demke in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   75 Del Cox Jr.                           613 Joey Severance               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.058  5.521 266.79                     0.045  5.593 252.14
 Qualified:             #8  5.521 263.20                        #9  5.522 262.39

Severance with the starting line advantage, and then cox Jr. had a lot of tire shake. Cox Jr. was able to drive through the tire shake and chase Severance down around 1000 feet. Del Cox Jr.'s MOV: 0.0593 seconds (approximately 22 feet). Cox Jr. matches his qualifying time and he will give up lane choice to Whiteley in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink