Sun, 15 Nov 2015, 17:39 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, 51st annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  748 Cameron Ferre                        6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.054  5.352 277.20                     0.091 10.761 107.88
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Taliaferro) 0.070  5.301 273.72      (T Tatum     ) 0.096  5.186 279.21
 Qualified:             #9  5.305 271.41                        #1  5.209 284.45

Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 28.74 inches, adjusted altitude 2,410 feet, track temperature 73 degrees.

This is the first time Ferre and St. Arnaud have faced each other in eliminations. Ferre with the starting line advantage and never trailed fot the win as St. Arnaud is up in smoke right off the starting line.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   69 Ross Stickler                         681 Shawn Cowie                  
E2                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.117  5.289 272.56
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M McKernan  ) 0.059  5.479 236.17      (M Manners   ) 0.068  5.370 254.76
 Qualified:            #15  5.360 259.91                       #10  5.312 270.64

Strickler with problems as he is pulling into the water box...the tow strap got into the front steering and it appeared it got bent. When the team was trying to fix it it appeared to break front steering arm. Cowie with the freebie here. cowie launched hard and runs his quickest and fastest pass of this season for the win. Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.496/218.09 mph, 1,000ft-4.465.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  802 Monty Bugeja                          613 Joey Severance               
E2                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.076 19.977  34.03
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Litton    ) 0.085  5.315 269.46      (J Fricke    ) 0.041  5.300 270.86
 Qualified:            #11  5.314 271.62                        #3  5.242 271.95

Bugeja doesn't get the car to fire and is pushed off and Severance gets the freebie. Severance with severe tire shake right at the hit and coast on through for the win. He will give up lane choice to cowie in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   74 Johnny Ahten                         4028 David Sheetz                 
E2                   0.037  5.587 259.41     ****WINNER****  0.067  5.410 269.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Demke     ) 0.046  5.441 264.44      (G Bateman   ) 0.110  5.415 268.12
 Qualified:            #12  5.338 265.48                       #13  5.348 269.46

This is the first time Ahten and Sheetz have faced each other in eliminations. Ahten with the starting line advantage, but sheetz has the lead by 200 feet and never trails from there on for the win. He will give up lane choice to Ferre in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink