Sun, 1 Nov 2009, 05:44 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6610 Brandon Johnson                         2 Jim Whiteley                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.043  5.302 266.58                     0.038  5.357 265.59
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Shields   ) 0.035  5.327 268.12      (J Davis     ) 0.045  5.379 266.37
 Qualified:            #14  5.418 260.36                        #6  5.351 267.80

Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer 27.91 inches, adjusted altitude 4,420 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Whiteley with a slight starting line advantage and the lead until around 750 feet when Johnson is able to chase him down. Whiteley with the loss here really hurts his chase to win the Championship. Johnson with his quickest pass of weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4843 Monroe Guest                          734 Johnny Ahten                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.058  5.244 280.08                     0.049  5.403 259.41
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Manners   ) 0.035  5.164 281.77      (J Severance ) 0.041  5.305 260.97
 Qualified:             #1  5.155 281.01                        #8  5.385 257.92

Ahten with a slight starting line advantage, but by 330 feet it was Guest with the lead and he increased his lead at every mark in the way down the track. Guest with another great pass...Monroe Guest's incremental times: 60ft-0.960 sec., 330ft-2.429, 660ft-3.517/230.25 mph, 1,000ft-4.438.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  745 Brittany Force                        744 Courtney Force               
E2                   0.160  5.478 251.91     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.364 261.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Carlson   ) 0.104  5.301 269.83      (A Bart      ) 0.052  7.605 240.00
 Qualified:             #2  5.282 262.64                       #10  5.393 265.12

Courtney with a big starting line advantage and then runs her quickest pass of the weekend for the win. She will give up lane choice to Johnson in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Shawn Cowie                           777 Mark Niver                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.009  5.353 269.19                    -0.036  9.120 128.65
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Perkins   ) 0.042  5.538 257.87      (D St Arnuad ) 0.078  5.338 260.81
 Qualified:             #5  5.338 269.19                        #4  5.322 264.44

Niver is too quick on the tree and he turned on the red light. Cowie with a good looking pass, straight down the groove, but will give up lane choice to Guest in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink