Sat, 5 Jun 2010, 01:32 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

JOLIET, Ill. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Miller Welders listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Dave Heitzman Runs 6.974/216.72, Now #2
Right Lane: Malcolm Wahle Runs 5.389/250.78, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 71 percent, barometer 29.04 inches, adjusted altitude 3,062 feet, track temperature 79 degrees.

Wahle with a nice pass, straight down the groove. Malcolm Wahle's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.431, 660ft-3.562/220.37 mph, 1,000ft-4.529. Heitzman with problems as soon as he hit the throttle.

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Left Lane: Brian Mans No Time, Now #4
Right Lane: Robin Samsel Runs 5.575/238.76, Now #2

Mans can't get the car to start...Samsel slows on the top end.

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Left Lane: Jared Dreher Runs 5.540/245.76, Now #2
Right Lane: Dave Hirata Runs 14.941/71.46, Now #5

Hirata is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Dreher goes to the number two spot...Jared Dreher's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.455, 660ft-3.620/213.03 mph, 1,000ft-4.639.

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Left Lane: Mark Taliaferro Runs 5.676/262.08, Now #5
Right Lane: Ken Perry Runs 5.434/258.62, Now #2

Taliaferro starts to lose traction and pedals it and then runs top speed of the meet. Perry with a great pass...Ken Perry's incremental times: 60ft-0.903 sec., 330ft-2.388, 660ft-3.556/211.20 mph, 1,000ft-4.567.

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Left Lane: Edwin Schmeeckle Runs 5.480/260.71, Now #4
Right Lane: Marty Thacker Runs 5.444/264.44, Now #3

Thacker is right behind Perry by a hundredth. Marty Thacker's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.424, 660ft-3.591/211.99 mph, 1,000ft-4.593. Schmeeckle with a nice pass to go to the number four spot. Edwin Schmeeckle's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.417, 660ft-3.600/208.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.617.

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Left Lane: Brandon Booher Runs 5.466/257.09, Now #5
Right Lane: Darren Nicholson Runs 5.459/260.11, Now #4

Brandon Booher's incremental times: 60ft-0.897 sec., 330ft-2.382, 660ft-3.570/207.37 mph, 1,000ft-4.593.
Darren Nicholson's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.404, 660ft-3.587/209.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.597.

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Left Lane: John Finke Runs 6.184/244.83, Now #11
Right Lane: Michael Manners Runs 5.351/271.73, Now #1

Manners with a great pass to go to the number one spot...Michael Manners' incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.450, 660ft-3.575/222.51 mph, 1,000ft-4.528. Finke starts to loose traction and pedals it...

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Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.430/259.36, Now #4
Right Lane: Monroe Guest Runs 5.363/255.48, Now #2

Guest goes to number two spot with a nice looking pass...Monroe Guest's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.430, 660ft-3.546/224.17 mph, 1,000ft-4.504. Cowie with a good looking pass to go to the number four spot...Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.919 sec., 330ft-2.378, 660ft-3.551/209.20 mph, 1,000ft-4.565.

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Left Lane: Bill Reichert Runs 5.415/266.79, Now #5
Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.333/268.92, Now #1

Shields with a great pass to go to the number one spot...Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.551/221.52 mph, 1,000ft-4.505. Reichert with a nice pass to go to the number five spot. Bill Reichert's incremental times: 60ft-0.994 sec., 330ft-2.504, 660ft-3.628/223.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.583.

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Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.369/264.86, Now #4

Whiteley goes to the number four spot...Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.906 sec., 330ft-2.368, 660ft-3.526/213.47 mph, 1,000ft-4.521.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink