Fri, 14 Aug 2009, 03:36 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

BRAINERD, Minn. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 28th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Monroe Guest Runs 5.514/259.51, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 93 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 28.56 inches, adjusted altitude 4,659 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Making his Top Alcohol Dragster debut and he has a real nice opening pass. Monroe Guest's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.506, 660ft-3.677/215.03 mph, 1,000ft-4.662.

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Left Lane: Scott Murray Runs 5.684/254.04, Now #3
Right Lane: Brandon Booher Runs 5.652/247.97, Now #2

Booher with a nice pass to start the weekend. Brandon Booher's incremental times: 60ft-0.978 sec., 330ft-2.498, 660ft-3.711/202.42 mph, 1,000ft-4.761.

Murray was just a couple ticks behind him. Scott Murray's incremental times: 60ft-1.032 sec., 330ft-2.615, 660ft-3.805/211.46 mph, 1,000ft-4.810.

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Left Lane: Darryl Hitchman Runs 5.598/263.36, Now #2
Right Lane: Dave Hirata Runs 5.781/253.56, Now #5

Hitchman's sixth appearance here, his first was in 1993. He goes to the number two spot. Darryl Hitchman's incremental times: 60ft-0.980 sec., 330ft-2.533, 660ft-3.742/208.42 mph, 1,000ft-4.747. Hirata with a clean pass.

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Left Lane: Jared Dreher Runs 5.674/246.30, Now #5
Right Lane: Darren Nicholson Runs 5.652/251.91, Now #3

Nicholson with a nice pass and grabs the third spot on speed...Darren Nicholson's incremental times: 60ft-0.946 sec., 330ft-2.480, 660ft-3.711/200.71 mph, 1,000ft-4.761. Dreher with a good pass...

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Left Lane: Brandon Johnson Runs 5.550/256.84, Now #3
Right Lane: Brandon Lewis Runs 5.293/270.43, Now #1

Lewis launched hard and keeps it hooked up...he goes to the number one spot. Brandon Lewis' incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.422, 660ft-3.533/226.01 mph, 1,000ft-4.474. Johnson with a nice pass to go the number three spot. Brandon Johnson's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.520, 660ft-3.696/213.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.688.

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Left Lane: Dan Kracht Runs 5.518/252.80, Now #4
Right Lane: Robin Samsel Runs 5.424/249.76, Now #2

Samsel with a nice pass to go to the number two spot...Robin Samsel's incremental times: 60ft-0.944 sec., 330ft-2.450, 660ft-3.591/218.97 mph, 1,000ft-4.564. Kracht with a real nice pass...Dan Kracht's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.495, 660ft-3.655/216.20 mph, 1,000ft-4.646.

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Left Lane: Edwin Schmeeckle Runs 7.603/117.31, Now #13
Right Lane: Bill Evans Runs 6.108/243.94, Now #12

Evans was dropping cylinders early and never got them to clean up. Schmeeckle clicked it off early...

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Left Lane: Justin Davis Runs 5.554/258.76, Now #7
Right Lane: Bill Reichert Runs 5.452/258.07, Now #3

A couple good looking passes here...Justin Davis' incremental times: 60ft-0.986 sec., 330ft-2.480, 660ft-3.668/208.36 mph, 1,000ft-4.687.
Bill Reichert's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.633/218.27 mph, 1,000ft-4.604.

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Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 16.227/64.63, Now #17
Right Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.430/264.44, Now #3

Whiteley with severe tire shake and clicks it off. Cowie with a nice pass to go to the number three spot. Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.416, 660ft-3.580/212.46 mph, 1,000ft-4.581.

That wraps up round one with Lewis on the pole and Schmeeckle is on the bump spot at 7.603.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink