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Sat, 08 Feb 2014, 18:31 PM

Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7590 Ross Stickler                         765 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.099  5.828 179.59     ****WINNER****  0.107  5.347 270.16
 Qualified:            #11  5.547 256.41                        #6  5.364 266.90

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.07 inches, adjusted altitude 2,135 feet, track temperature 86 degrees.

Stickler with the starting line advantage, but made a quick move toward the centerline, reeled it in. He was on a good pass and had the lead at half track and then something went away and he clicked it off early. Shields launched hard and was able to chase him down just past half track and take the win with his quickest pass of the weekend.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  712 Larry Miersch                         681 Shawn Cowie                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.034  5.384 265.01                     0.156  5.345 269.83
 Qualified:            #10  5.455 238.05                        #7  5.399 266.06

Cowie is 2 - 0 against Miersch in prior events. Miersch with the starting line advantage and never trailed to take the hole shot win. Miersch with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Larry Miersch's incremental times: 60ft-0.959 sec., 330ft-2.464, 660ft-3.595/220.87 mph, 1,000ft-4.554. Cowie with his quickest pass in the losing effort. Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.392, 660ft-3.532/216.24 mph, 1,000ft-4.512.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Megan McKernan                        611 Garrett Bateman              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.084  5.278 273.27                     0.060  5.321 271.62
 Qualified:             #9  5.408 264.34                        #8  5.404 212.59

Bateman is 1 - 0 against McKernan in prior events. Bateman with the starting line advantage, but McKernan had him chased down by half track and took the win by 0.0196 seconds (approximately 8 feet). McKernan runs her career quickest and fastest pass for the win. Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.397, 660ft-3.516/223.21 mph, 1,000ft-4.463. Bateman with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort. Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.413, 660ft-3.545/222.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.499.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   39 William Litton                       6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E1                   0.096  5.476 266.48     ****WINNER****  0.040  5.291 278.12
 Qualified:            #14  6.256 175.80                        #3  5.284 277.83

This is the first time Litton and St. Arnaud have faced each other in eliminations. St. Arnaud with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. St. Arnaud just a few ticks off his qualifying time for the win. Don St. Arnaud's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.415, 660ft-3.539/223.47 mph, 1,000ft-4.485. St. Arnaud will have lane choice over Shields in the next round. Litton with his quickest pass in the losing effort. William Litton's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.514, 660ft-3.665/218.27 mph, 1,000ft-4.638.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   79 Johnny Ahten                         7610 Derik Milanesio              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  5.453 260.41                     0.070  5.741 242.15
 Qualified:             #4  5.291 248.52                       #13  5.677 244.78

Ahten with the starting line advantage and started to shake the tires and had quick pedal job and got it to hook up for the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                          487 Mark Taliaferro              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.021  5.799 264.18                     0.124 11.326  71.12
 Qualified:            #12  5.636 260.61                        #5  5.346 270.59

Grisel with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Taliaferro was up in smoke right off the starting line. Taliaferro clicked it off and some part went flying off the car. Grisel will give up lane choice to Ahten in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  706 Ashley Sanford                        613 Joey Severance               
E1                   0.095  6.494 218.48     ****WINNER****  0.050  5.346 268.49
 Qualified:            #15  9.063 101.53                        #2  5.277 270.64

Severance with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Sanford was up in smoke right at the hit. Severance will have lane choice over Miersch in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
        Bye                                   2 Chris Demke                  
E1                                            ****WINNER****  0.077  5.220 275.90
 Qualified:                                                       #1  5.218 276.46

Demke with the bye here and he runs low E.T. of the round. He will have lane choice over McKernan (who had the second quickest pass of the round) in the next round. Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.334, 660ft-3.451/220.84 mph, 1,000ft-4.407.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink