Sun, 09 Feb 2014, 16:47 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 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
  712 Larry Miersch                         613 Joey Severance               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.384 270.86                     0.018 15.264  45.57
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Cowie     ) 0.034  5.384 265.01      (A Sanford   ) 0.050  5.346 268.49
 Qualified:            #10  5.455 238.05                        #2  5.277 270.64

Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 29.05 inches, adjusted altitude 1,834 feet, track temperature 70 degrees.

Miersch is 2 - 0 against Severance in prior events. Servance with the starting line advantage, but had violent tire shake and clicked it off. Miersch matches his E.T. from the previous round...it appeared he was mixing up cylinders on the top end, but still got the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   79 Johnny Ahten                          724 Casey Grisel                 
E2                   0.040  8.862  96.30     ****WINNER****  0.044  5.480 266.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Milanesio ) 0.026  5.453 260.41      (M Taliaferro) 0.021  5.799 264.18
 Qualified:             #4  5.291 248.52                       #12  5.636 260.61

Ahten with a slight starting line advantage, but was up in smoke and pedaled it, but couldn't get it to hook up before he clicked it off. Grisel with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  765 Duane Shields                        6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E2                   0.100  5.260 270.86     ****WINNER****  0.051  5.299 278.58
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Stickler  ) 0.107  5.347 270.16      (B Litton    ) 0.040  5.291 278.12
 Qualified:             #6  5.364 266.90                        #3  5.284 277.83

Shields is 2 - 1 against St. Arnaud in prior events. St. Arnaud with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Don St. Arnaud's MOV: 0.0103 seconds (approximately 4 feet). St. Arnaud will have lane choice over Miersch in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Megan McKernan                          2 Chris Demke                  
E2                   0.046  5.575 242.28     ****WINNER****  0.060  5.230 275.51
 Prior rounds:
E1    (G Bateman   ) 0.084  5.278 273.27                     0.077  5.220 275.90
 Qualified:             #9  5.408 264.34                        #1  5.218 276.46

Demke is 3 - 1 against McKernan in prior events. McKernan with the starting line advantage, but then started to shake and pedaled it and that was the end of her weekend. Demke launched hard and keep it hooked up to make another great pass, quickest of the round for the win. He will have lane choice over Grisel in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink