Fri, 23 Mar 2012, 22:25 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Time Trial Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 2 time trials in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Mike Reynolds Runs 17.189/28.69, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.179/176.05, Was #6
Right Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.466/212.26, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.462/220.44, Was #1

6:15 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 12 percent, barometer 27.35 inches, adjusted altitude 4,608 feet, track temperature 106 degrees. We have some high clouds and there hasn't been any direct sun on the track for a while. The wind has turned and is mostly across the track now.

BANG! Reynolds dragster is lazy off the line and then has a big blower bang before the 330 lights and stops on the track right after the lights.

Whiteley runs close to his prior pass until near the lights were he slows a little. His time is good enough for taking over the number two position, but he is already number one.

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.356, 660ft-3.487/218.83 mph, 1,000ft-4.477.

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Left Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.486/240.81, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.723/210.31, Was #4
Right Lane: Mike Austin Runs 13.254/80.17, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.541/261.22, Was #2

6:20 p.m. No Stuff on the track and we are back.

Bateman gets near a full pass this time and moves up into the #2 two position. Nice.

Austin's tune up is too violent and he does another burnout at the green.

Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.401, 660ft-3.578/211.36 mph, 1,000ft-4.588.

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Right Lane: Don St. Arnaud Runs 5.673/235.47, Now #4; No Prior Run

Last car of the session. The sun is far enough down now to start seeing the nitro flames off of St. Arnaud engine. This is his only attempt and the fueler is a little lazy off the line. He runs the car on down, but may have clicked it early.

6:25 p.m. Tomorrow the Alcohol cars will get two qualifying passes, with eliminations on Sunday.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink