Mon, 03 Nov 2014, 11:56 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 14th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Megan McKernan Runs 5.608/259.31, Now #17; No Prior Run
Right Lane: John Finke Runs 5.495/253.66, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.739/240.21, Was #20

7:09 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 32 percent, barometer 27.67 inches, adjusted altitude 3,575 feet, track temperature 70 degrees.

McKernan broke before she could make a pass yesterday and was DQ'd after the run today. Finke has had problems on both of his attempts.

Finke goes right down the groove with his best pass of the weekend and gets in the show for now in the 13th spot. McKernan makes a clean pass but not quick enough to get in the show.

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Left Lane: Aaron Olivarez Runs 5.646/246.26, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.034/187.70, Was #22
Right Lane: Greg Sereda Runs 5.640/251.91, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.651/248.16, Was #19

A good side-by-side, they were glued together all the way through the run. both drivers make their quickest passes of the weekend but neither improve.

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Left Lane: Jeff Ashwell Runs 5.599/251.86, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.709/247.29, Was #22
Right Lane: Ross Stickler Runs 5.482/256.99, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.611/251.95, Was #18

Stickler makes his quickest pass of the weekend and gets in the show for now. Ashwell improves but still doesn't make the show.

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Right Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.658/244.87, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.515/258.12, Was #16

Grisel makes a clean pass but does not improve.

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Left Lane: Derik Milanesio Runs 5.631/246.44, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.566/245.23, Was #17
Right Lane: Don St. Arnaud Runs 5.403/273.50, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.515/260.31, Was #15

St. Arnaud makes his quickest pass of the weekend and gets in the top half of the field for now. Milanesio can't improve and his weekend is finished.

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Left Lane: Rishi Kanick Runs 10.272/80.39, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.491/245.05, Was #14
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.435/261.37, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.461/266.90, Was #12

Kanick had problems right off the line and was out of the throttle early. Bateman makes his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up to the 12th spot for now.

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Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.406/262.03, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.440/254.04, Was #11
Right Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 5.465/257.78, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.441/260.81, Was #12

Shields was moving around all the way through the run but still improved and moved up to the eighth spot. Fricke made a decent pass but did not improve.

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Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.313/268.87, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.394/267.59, Was #6
Right Lane: Mark Taliaferro Runs 8.359/102.17, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.433/265.95, Was #10

Taliaferro strikes the tires early and gives up on the run. Cowie goes right down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up to the second spot.

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Left Lane: Chase Copeland Runs 5.382/272.94, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.353/279.38, Was #4
Right Lane: Dan Mercier Runs 5.405/261.07, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.413/263.56, Was #9

Mercier improves just enough to move up to the top half of the field.

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Left Lane: Ashley Sanford Runs 5.438/250.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.336/266.69, Was #3
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.285/270.75, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.383/271.57, Was #6

Severance makes his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up to the second spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink