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Fri, 14 Nov 2014, 17:38 PM

Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals 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:

Left Lane: Derik Milanesio Runs 5.679/237.25, Now #19; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Dan Mercier Runs 5.473/271.24, Now #14; Best prior run: 15.353/68.26, Was #20

1:55 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 2,760 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Shawn Cowie is number one at 5.269 and Johnny Ahten is on the bump spot at 5.580.

Milanesio finally gets a number on the board, but it is well off the qualifying pace.

Mercier gets his first full pass too, but it's a much better one that moves him into the field for now in the #14 spot.

Derik Milanesio's incremental times: 60ft-1.007 sec., 330ft-2.551, 660ft-3.724/211.63 mph, 1,000ft-4.754.
Dan Mercier's incremental times: 60ft-0.994 sec., 330ft-2.551, 660ft-3.690/220.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.649.

Left Lane: Jeff Ashwell Runs 6.100/183.67, Now #21; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Ashley Sanford Runs 5.802/268.60, Now #20; Best prior run: 10.812/80.00, Was #21

Ashwell is strong through the 330 lights and then fades after that.

Sanford chases Ashwell and finally gets by right before the 1000 foot lights.

Jeff Ashwell's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.527, 660ft-3.800/189.73 mph, 1,000ft-4.959.
Ashley Sanford's incremental times: 60ft-0.982 sec., 330ft-2.758, 660ft-3.982/211.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.965.

Left Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.499/266.95, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.580/260.16, Was #17
Right Lane: Bill Litton Runs 6.312/171.55, Now #22; Best prior run: 6.369/234.61, Was #22

John Finke is on the bump spot at 5.497.

Ahten continues to improve, but is well off his normal pace.

Litton's fueler has the pipes go well down track.

Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.542, 660ft-3.695/219.04 mph, 1,000ft-4.663.

Left Lane: John Finke Runs 5.563/254.57, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.497/255.10, Was #16
Right Lane: Mark Taliaferro Runs 5.317/270.27, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.584/237.13, Was #18

Taliaferro is the last car that can bump Finke and he does so, big time. He has a great pass and powers on down the track to the #5 position. Nice run.

Finke has the front wheel up in the air twice and slows.

John Finke's incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.558, 660ft-3.714/218.58 mph, 1,000ft-4.693.
Mark Taliaferro's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.373, 660ft-3.511/217.63 mph, 1,000ft-4.487.

Left Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 5.378/269.08, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.470/262.59, Was #14
Right Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.585/261.88, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.474/263.82, Was #16

Casey Grisel is on the bump spot at 5.474 and can only improve. No joy, as the car can't improve and will anchor the field in tomorrow's eliminations.

Much better pass for Fricke to move three spots up the ladder into the number eleven position for now.

Jackie Fricke's incremental times: 60ft-0.953 sec., 330ft-2.459, 660ft-3.593/220.91 mph, 1,000ft-4.552.
Casey Grisel's incremental times: 60ft-0.962 sec., 330ft-2.522, 660ft-3.726/208.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.731.

Left Lane: Ross Stickler Runs 5.549/261.83, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.448/263.31, Was #14
Right Lane: Aaron Olivarez Runs 15.620/77.24, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.419/268.65, Was #13

Olivarez strikes the tires at the green. Stickler does a pedal swap, as the tires are shaking hard, and runs on down the track. He doesn't improve, but does a nice job of pedaling.

Ross Stickler's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.481, 660ft-3.675/208.81 mph, 1,000ft-4.688.

Left Lane: Megan McKernan Runs 5.448/268.97, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.411/270.37, Was #12
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.392/264.44, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.355/270.21, Was #9

No improvements, but two good clean passes. Both cars will stay in their current positions.

Megan McKernan's incremental times: 60ft-0.961 sec., 330ft-2.503, 660ft-3.653/218.62 mph, 1,000ft-4.620.
Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.438, 660ft-3.578/219.29 mph, 1,000ft-4.550.

Left Lane: Fred Hanssen Runs 5.308/269.83, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.366/263.46, Was #10
Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.337/266.42, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.352/269.24, Was #8

A career best ET and speed for Hanssen, as he powers up the ladder into the current top four. Clean and straight.

Shields made a great pass too, but still loses a position with a improving ET.

Fred Hanssen's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.360, 660ft-3.497/217.53 mph, 1,000ft-4.475.
Duane Shields' incremental times: 60ft-0.946 sec., 330ft-2.429, 660ft-3.546/223.43 mph, 1,000ft-4.501.

Left Lane: Joey Severance No Time, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.336/266.21, Was #8
Right Lane: Tripp Tatum Runs 5.350/270.92, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.309/273.50, Was #5

Severance's team has problems getting the car started and push the car away.

Another good looking pass for Tatum, but he doesn't improve.

Tripp Tatum's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.486, 660ft-3.595/226.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.533.

Left Lane: Cameron Ferre Runs 6.658/143.34, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.330/273.33, Was #7
Right Lane: Chase Copeland Runs 5.227/271.84, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.279/270.92, Was #3

Ferre gets over center off the line and slows.

Copeland makes a stellar pass, running close to his career best to take over the top spot for now.

Chase Copeland's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.377, 660ft-3.474/228.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.411.

Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.314/271.90, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.269/271.79, Was #2
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.490/0.00, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.277/269.67, Was #3

These two have been number one in prior sessions and are looking to get it back.

Demke has a strong leave, but is done before the 330 lights,

Cowie leave right behind him and looks to be on a strong pass until right near the lights, where there is a big flash and smoke from the engine. It's a messy one, as the trucks roll towards the finish line area.

Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.391, 660ft-3.521/218.83 mph, 1,000ft-4.489.
Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.556, 660ft-4.594/106.26 mph, 1,000ft-99.999.

2:28 p.m. Chase Copeland is number one at 5.227 and Casey Grisel is on the bump spot at 5.474.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink