Sat, 04 Oct 2014, 18:21 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  596 Randy Meyer                           112 Frank Schuster               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.101  5.228 270.05                     0.120  5.755 216.24
 Qualified:             #1  5.251 270.16                       #16  5.494 257.53

5:51 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 63 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.05 inches, adjusted altitude 1,720 feet, track temperature 68 degrees.

Plans are to run the first round of Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car tonight. Meyer had this one from start to finish.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   18 Wayne Morris                          765 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.042  6.459 169.89     ****WINNER****  0.109  5.277 274.00
 Qualified:            #13  5.458 265.33                        #4  5.307 270.97

Morris got off the starting line first and was ahead at 60 feet, but then shook the rear tires and had to back off the throttle. Shields's car had a little hop coming off the starting line but he drove through it to take the win and move on to the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  117 Mike Lewis                           1959 Richard St. Pierre           
E1   ****WINNER****  0.171  5.381 263.82                     0.189  5.541 257.53
 Qualified:             #3  5.284 272.39                       #14  5.478 257.97

Lewis used to be general manager here at Maple Grove Raceway. He got the win here and will move on to the next round tomorrow.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  176 Jeff Veale                              5 Bill Reichert                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.018  5.309 276.41                     0.080  5.292 271.30
 Qualified:             #9  5.370 275.45                        #8  5.365 266.21

Veale had this one from the start. Reichert closed the gap as they made their way down the track but Veale was able to hold on for the win. He'll race Meyer in the next round and Meyer will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Rich McPhillips                        10 Dan Page                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.038  6.070 251.58                     0.065 10.978  85.48
 Qualified:             #7  5.336 271.24                       #10  5.413 261.07

This was an ugly one. Both cars launched and the rear tires on both immediately went up in smoke. McPhillips got his car hooked up again by 100 feet and went on to take the win. Page trailed smoke for about 100 feet, then the back end of his car started to swing out, so he shut it down.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   17 Dan Mercier                          1482 Richard Bourke               
E1                   0.058  7.830 114.45     ****WINNER****  0.078  5.343 270.37
 Qualified:            #11  5.432 269.51                        #6  5.335 270.54

Mercier's car came off the starting line shaking and bouncing until he got off the throttle. Bourke got the win and will have lane choice over Lewis in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 194D Mia Tedesco                           185 Mike Kosky                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.076  5.545 270.43                     0.257  7.074 124.41
 Qualified:             #5  5.320 267.85                       #12  5.438 257.78

Kosky was really late at the tree and just stayed slow on the track. Tedesco will race Shields in round two and Shields will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Chris Demke                            16 Karen Stalba                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  5.217 277.94                     0.071  5.357 265.74
 Qualified:             #2  5.281 273.39                       #15  5.494 263.15

Demke clinched the national championship when he advanced to the final round from the Charlotte race, which was run here yesterday. He won the final of the Charlotte race here earlier today. Demke had his season best ET and speed with this run and will race McPhillips in the second round. Demke will have lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink