Sun, 03 Nov 2013, 14:54 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Pacific Division, Las Vegas Gambler Showdown Division 7 Finale:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   79 Johnny Ahten                          611 Garrett Bateman              
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.080 14.209  77.80
 Qualified:             #4  5.323 262.39                        #5  5.327 268.06

11:34 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 27.70 inches, adjusted altitude 3,877 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

These two qualified in the middle of the field, just four thousandths apart. However, we did not get to see the close race we expected, Ahten's car going silent after the burnout.

Then Bateman smoked the tires and that just made the hurt worse for Ahten, who appears to be running a brand-new car this weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  613 Joey Severance                         75 Megan McKernan               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.034  5.284 271.13                     0.073 14.280  54.35
 Qualified:             #1  5.287 269.03                        #8  5.421 265.90

Severance left hard and ran low ET of the meet, while McKernan was "boiling the hides." Severance will have lane choice against Bateman in the semifinals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Chris Demke                            64 Ray Martin                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.025  5.411 270.32                     0.038 10.542  58.70
 Qualified:             #3  5.306 270.64                        #6  5.333 268.54

Demke used up a lot of lane enroute to the stripe, but it sounded like Martin's car would not shift and Demke stays alive for the West Region championship - at least until the next pair runs.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jim Whiteley                          681 Shawn Cowie                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.032  5.275 272.34                     0.081  5.359 266.58
 Qualified:             #2  5.291 271.13                        #7  5.362 267.22

Originally, Whiteley was not going to run in this event, but he changed his mind at the last minute. A win here would clinch the Western Region championship. A loss leaves him in the lead, but Chris Demke would have to win the event to take it away.

Whiteley nailed down the Region, adding it to the National Championship, with low ET of the meet. Cowie made a good run, but was not even in the picture at the finish.

Whiteley faces Demke in the semifinals and will have lane choice, Demke running the second-quickest run of the event. Should be a good one!

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink