Thu, 10 Nov 2016, 19:13 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 52nd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Randy Eakins No Time, Now #2
Right Lane: Fred Hanssen Runs 5.774/261.12, Now #1

Eakins was leaking fluids after the burnout and was shut off. Hanssen with a lot of tire shake, but he stayed with it...

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Left Lane: Monty Bugeja Runs 5.321/269.67, Now #1
Right Lane: Cameron Ferre Runs 8.158/107.92, Now #3

Bugeja with a great looking pass, he was straight down the groove with hs season's quickest and fastest pass. Monty Bugeja's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.378, 660ft-3.512/217.39 mph, 1,000ft-4.489. Ferre with tire smoke early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Derik Milanesio Runs 5.382/265.85, Now #2
Right Lane: Cody Perkins Runs 11.074/75.02, Now #5

Milanesio with his career quickest pass to go to the number two spot. Perkins was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Don St. Arnaud Runs 5.200/285.83, Now #1
Right Lane: Jay Livingston Runs 13.966/54.01, Now #7

St. Arnaud launched hard and kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. He runs the fastest speed in the history of the class and sets the National speed record. Don St. Arnaud's incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.395, 660ft-3.495/229.08 mph, 1,000ft-4.415. Livingston was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.412/268.76, Now #4
Right Lane: Ashley Sanford Runs 5.530/226.66, Now #5

Grissel with a good looking pass to go to the number four spot. Casey Grisel's incremental times: 60ft-0.977 sec., 330ft-2.499, 660ft-3.631/221.67 mph, 1,000ft-4.587. Sanford was on a good pass, but slows on the top end.

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Left Lane: Krista Baldwin Runs 8.128/111.51, Now #8
Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.395/270.97, Now #4

Baldwin lose traction early and clicks it off. Ahten with a real nice pass straight down the groove to go to then number four spot. Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.493, 660ft-3.620/222.80 mph, 1,000ft-4.573.

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Right Lane: Megan McKernan Runs 6.233/232.43, Now #8

McKernan labored off the line and all the way down the track.

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Left Lane: Jackie Fricke Runs 14.701/60.95, Now #14
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.242/263.67, Now #2

Fricke is up in smoke as soon as she hits the throttle and clicked it off. Bateman with a great looking pass, straight down the groove hitting on all eight to go to the number two spot. Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.924 sec., 330ft-2.380, 660ft-3.472/229.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.407.

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Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.324/272.45, Now #4
Right Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 6.052/170.67, Now #10

Demke with a real nice pass to start the weekend, he was straight down the groove to the number four spot. Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.387, 660ft-3.527/217.53 mph, 1,000ft-4.500. Cowie slows on the top end.

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Left Lane: Rich McPhillips Runs 5.259/275.51, Now #3
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.264/274.55, Now #4

This is a great side-by-side drag race as they go to the number three and four spots. Rich McPhillips' incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.520/228.04 mph, 1,000ft-4.453.
Joey Severance's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.363, 660ft-3.486/219.94 mph, 1,000ft-4.447.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink