Sun, 04 Oct 2015, 14:57 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 31st annual NHRA Keystone Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 Wayne Morris                          144 Tripp Tatum                  
E1                   0.079  5.530 266.37     ****WINNER****  0.054  5.539 259.71
 Qualified:             #6  5.393 266.06                       #11  5.581 239.36

This is the first time Morris and Tatum have faced each other in eliminations. Tatum with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Tripp Tatum's MOV: 0.0161 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  176 Jeff Veale                             18 Frank Schuster               
E1                  -0.097  6.442 150.11     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.662 248.71
 Qualified:             #2  5.323 277.60                       #15  6.805 174.37

Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.65 inches, adjusted altitude 1,181 feet, track temperature 71 degrees.

This is the first time Veale and Schuster have faced each other in eliminations. Veale goes red and Schuster with the easy win. Schuster was mixing up cylinders right at the hit but gets the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   16 John Finke                            183 Tom Fox Jr.                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.074  5.331 260.06                     0.332  5.369 260.36
 Qualified:            #12  5.664 258.37                        #5  5.379 263.10

This is the first time Finke and Fox Jr. have faced each other in eliminations. Finke with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Finke with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win on real nice pass.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 194D Mia Tedesco                          1953 Al Moeser                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  5.355 266.90                     0.114  5.435 267.22
 Qualified:             #3  5.326 272.23                       #14  6.454 159.48

This is the first time Tedesco and Moeser have faced each other in eliminations. Tedesco with the starting line advantage and is straight down the groove for the win. She will have lane choice over Tatum in the next round. Moser with a good pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1128 Karen Stalba                            7 Jackie Fricke                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  5.333 268.28                     0.040  8.169 116.58
 Qualified:             #4  5.350 265.95                       #13  5.837 263.05

First time 5 women have qualified for the same TAD field. This is the first time Stalba and Fricke have faced each other in eliminations. Fricke with the starting line advantage, but then has a lot of tire shake and pedals it, but can't get it to hook up. Stalba with a great looking pass for the win, second quickest of the round, but unfortunately she will give up lane choice to Finke who had the quickest pass of the round, so far.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Rich McPhillips                         6 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.093  5.334 273.16     ****WINNER****  0.072  5.264 272.45
 Qualified:             #8  5.451 261.78                        #9  5.469 270.54

Shields is 4 - 1 against McPhillips in prior events. Shields with the starting line advantage and runs the quickest pass of the event for the win. McPhillips with a real nice pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1490 Brandon Greco                         706 Ashley Sanford               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.378  5.579 252.47                           No Time      
 Qualified:            #10  5.541 257.48                        #7  5.447 272.67

This is the first time Greco and Sanford have faced each other in eliminations. Sanford's crew shut her off after the burnout. Greco with the freebie will have lane choice over Schuster in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 106K Kara Stricker                           1 Chris Demke                  
E1                   0.088  7.820 116.88     ****WINNER****  0.026  5.279 274.16
 Qualified:            #16  7.095 170.51                        #1  5.281 274.78

This is the first time Stricker and Demke have faced each other in eliminations. Demke with the starting line advantage and second quickest pass of the event for the win. He will give up lane choice to Shields who had the quickest pass of the event in the next round. Stricker with violent tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink