Sat, 18 May 2013, 17:57 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rich McPhillips                       530 Alan Bradshaw                
E1                   0.060  5.723 237.25     ****WINNER****  0.088  5.452 253.28
 Qualified:             #9  5.490 258.42                        #8  5.482 261.32

Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 28.63 inches, adjusted altitude 4,264 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

McPhillips is 1 - 0 against Bradshaw in prior events. McPhillips with the starting line advantage, but Bradshaw had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree and took the win. Bradshaw with his quickest pass of the weekend. Alan Bradshaw's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.456, 660ft-3.592/218.69 mph, 1,000ft-4.579.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Mark Taliaferro                       712 Larry Miersch                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.056  6.237 222.07                    -0.009  5.476 266.53
 Qualified:            #12  5.514 262.13                        #5  5.426 266.37

Taliaferro is 1 - 0 against Miersch in prior events. Miersch went red and then Taliaferro with problems but gets the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  717 Aaron Olivarez                        477 Forrest Fair                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.100  5.531 248.34                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #7  5.474 247.07                       #10  5.509 250.78

This is the first time Olivarez and Fair have faced each other in eliminations. Fair broke on the burnout and Olivarez with the freebie. Olivarez with a good pass.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  589 Gord Gingles                          464 Buddy Domingue               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.015  5.562 256.06                    -0.077  5.540 254.38
 Qualified:            #11  5.510 253.04                        #6  5.460 258.96

This is the first time Gingles and Domingue have faced each other in eliminations. Domingue is red and Gingles with the freebie. Gingles with a nice looking pass.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4111 Brandon Pierce                       4238 Shayne Lawson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  5.502 262.44                     0.055  5.706 251.72
 Qualified:             #4  5.424 266.69                       #13  5.514 253.09

This is the first time Pierce and Lawson have faced each other in eliminations. Lawson with a slight starting line advantage, but then was dropping cylinders and Pierce has the lead by the time they went by the Christmas tree. Pierce will have lane choice over Taliaferro in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4843 Monroe Guest                            6 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.055  5.633 242.89     ****WINNER****  0.061  5.620 247.29
 Qualified:             #3  5.404 256.36                       #14  5.518 248.61

Shields is 2 - 1 against Guest in prior events. Guest with a slight starting line advantage and the lead until on the top end when Shields is able to chase him down. Duane Shields' MOV: 0.0071 seconds (approximately 3 feet). Guest will give up lane choice Gingles in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  465 Michael Manners                         2 Chris Demke                  
E1                   0.063  5.574 260.86     ****WINNER****  0.057  5.448 263.87
 Qualified:            #15  5.564 262.23                        #2  5.398 260.66

Demke is 2 - 0 against Manners in prior events. Demke with a slight starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Demke with the quickest pass of eliminations and will have lane choice over Olivarez in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  416 James Thompson                        527 Edwin Schmeeckle             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  5.534 257.28                     0.099  6.945 231.00
 Qualified:             #1  5.396 267.80                       #16  5.618 248.52

Thompson is 1 - 0 against Schmeeckle in prior events. Thompson is out of the gate first and never trailed as Schmeeckle was up in smoke right at the hit. Thompson will give up lane choice to Bradshaw in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink