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Sun, 04 Nov 2012, 15:20 PM

Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, Short Line Express Gambler Shootout at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   73 Megan McKernan                        734 Johnny Ahten                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.125  5.394 267.27                     0.033  5.972 193.27
 Qualified:             #4  5.380 266.85                        #5  5.402 252.24

11:55 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 28.07 inches, adjusted altitude 3,833 feet, track temperature 105 degrees.
We have a strong 5.421 bump and great racing conditions today. McKernan decided not to make a third qualifying attempt last night.
Two injected nitro dragsters to start the round. Ahten gets a big advantage off the line and holds off McKernan until after the 330 lights, but the engine gets unhappy at that point and slows.
Another strong pass for the Truck-Lite dragster and an easy win.
Megan McKernan's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.090), 330 ft(-0.015), 660ft(0.140), 1,000ft(0.238). MOV: 0.4863 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.455, 660ft-3.594/219.40 mph, 1,000ft-4.560.
Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.532, 660ft-3.826/201.61 mph, 1,000ft-4.890.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  288 Sidnei Frigo                          597 Greg Hunter                  
E1                   0.083  6.029 189.55     ****WINNER****  0.016  5.461 264.29
 Qualified:             #3  5.377 265.12                        #6  5.407 266.74

Blower vs. fuel, this time.
Hunter nails the tree with a strong 0.016 light and makes a clean and straight pass to easily win the round.
Frigo had better numbers initially, but the car drifted out of the groove and started to spin the tires. He recovers, but starts loosing cylinders after that.
Greg Hunter's incremental margins: 60ft(0.029), 330 ft(0.162), 660ft(0.278), 1,000ft(0.379). MOV: 0.6356 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Sidnei Frigo's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.544, 660ft-3.821/196.10 mph, 1,000ft-4.922.
Greg Hunter's incremental times: 60ft-0.981 sec., 330ft-2.449, 660ft-3.610/212.56 mph, 1,000ft-4.610.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Chris Demke                            62 Ray Martin                   
E1                   0.044 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.044  5.725 190.57
 Qualified:             #2  5.314 269.24                        #7  5.410 263.26

Two blown cars.
Whoa! The both left with identical reaction times, but Demke's tires start to shake and rattle at the shift. the car starts to move hard towards the wall and it looked like he might save it. The car made another hard move around mid-track and banged the slicks against the wall. His 5.806 @ 183.87 times will be DQ'd.
Martin got out in front after the 660 lights, but had his problems with a blower bang and slowed too. That will cost him lane choice against Hunter in round two
Ray Martin's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.040), 330 ft(-0.018), 660ft(-0.007), 1,000ft(0.040). MOV: 0.0815 seconds (approximately 22 feet).

Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.401, 660ft-3.565/210.97 mph, 1,000ft-4.669.
Ray Martin's incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.419, 660ft-3.572/214.21 mph, 1,000ft-4.629.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jim Whiteley                         6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E1                   0.050  5.562 264.34     ****WINNER****  0.038  5.381 269.78
 Qualified:             #1  5.287 270.86                        #8  5.421 265.80

12:12 p.m. We are back after some dusting and cleaning in both lanes.
If Whiteley wins this round, he will take the 2012 Western Region Top Alcohol Dragster Championship to go along with his new #1 spot nationally!
It's not to be and Demke will be the 2012 TAD Champion, as Whiteley shakes and spins hard off the line. He pumps it to no avail, as St. Arnaud is on by before the 330 foot lights and makes his quickest run of the weekend. That gives him lane choice over McKernan later.
Late update: A receheck of the Regional points showed that Whiteley's qualifying points at this event put him ahead of Demke and Whiteley is the Western Region TAD Champion.
Don St. Arnaud's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.029), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.113), 1,000ft(0.168). MOV: 0.1932 seconds (approximately 75 feet).

Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.470, 660ft-3.697/205.29 mph, 1,000ft-4.711.
Don St. Arnaud's incremental times: 60ft-0.963 sec., 330ft-2.464, 660ft-3.596/221.42 mph, 1,000ft-4.555.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink