Sun, 30 Oct 2016, 12:33 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 16th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  706 Ashley Sanford                        802 Monty Bugeja                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.325 268.38                     0.075  5.395 264.13
 Qualified:             #9  5.398 268.76                        #8  5.397 263.62

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 27.80 inches, adjusted altitude 4,145 feet.

This is the first time Sanford and Bugeja have faced each other in eliminations. Sanford with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She runs her quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Ashley Sanford's MOV: 0.0924 seconds (approximately 36 feet). Bugeja with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   76 Johnny Ahten                            2 Chris Demke                  
E1                   0.034 14.072  82.63     ****WINNER****  0.060  5.364 266.90
 Qualified:            #11  5.430 254.71                        #6  5.367 267.27

Demke is 5 - 2 against Ahten in prior events. Ahten with the starting line advantage, but boils the hides right at the hit and clicks it off to give Demke the win. Demke with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  568 Cody Perkins                            1 Joey Severance               
E1                   0.031  5.531 253.56     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.311 268.97
 Qualified:            #14  5.534 255.19                        #3  5.311 269.78

Severance is 3 - 1 against Perkins in prior events. Perkins with the starting line advantage, but Severance has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and take the win. Severance matches his qualifying time for the win. Perkins with his quickest pass of the weekend in the lost. Severance will have lane choice over Demke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4255 Alex Laughlin                         450 Kirk Wolf                    
E1                   0.209  5.543 262.39     ****WINNER****  0.031  5.403 270.32
 Qualified:            #10  5.414 264.86                        #7  5.384 268.33

Wolf with the starting line advantage and never trails for the win. Wolf with his career fastest pass in the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                          589 Gord Gingles                 
E1                   0.117  5.736 256.26     ****WINNER****  0.078  5.320 269.83
 Qualified:            #13  5.511 258.27                        #4  5.318 269.46

This is the first time Grisel and Gingles have faced each other in eliminations. Gingles with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Grissel was mixing up cylinders right at the hit and never got it to clean up.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  713 Jay Livingston                        681 Shawn Cowie                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.122  5.469 258.02                     0.090  5.803 262.74
 Qualified:            #12  5.473 259.11                        #5  5.331 268.76

This is the first time Livingston and Cowie have faced each other in eliminations. Cowie with the starting line advantage, but spun right off the starting line and Livingston had the lead early and never trailed from there on for the win. Livingston with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will give up lane choice to Gingles in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  517 Gary Cooper                          1212 Jackie Fricke                
E1                   0.092  5.540 257.28     ****WINNER****  0.059  5.306 274.39
 Qualified:            #15  5.542 251.63                        #2  5.308 266.27

Fricke is 1 - 0 against Cooper in prior events. Fricke with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Fricke with her quickest and fastest pass of the weekend for the win. She makes the fastest pass of the event. Jackie Fricke's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.465, 660ft-3.565/227.88 mph, 1,000ft-4.497. She will have lane choice over Wolf in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   73 Megan McKernan                         10 Garrett Bateman              
E1                   0.070  5.628 244.96     ****WINNER****  0.043  5.378 271.62
 Qualified:            #16  5.578 243.33                        #1  5.242 272.12

McKernan is 2 - 1 against Bateman in prior events. Bateman with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will give up lane choice to Sanford in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink