Thu, 09 Feb 2017, 20:11 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, 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Left Lane: James Day Runs 5.422/261.47, Now #1
Right Lane: Randy Eakins Runs 5.930/226.58, Now #2

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 28.85 inches, adjusted altitude 3,093 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

Day is driving a Kuhl & Olson tribute car here this weekend. He was straight down the groove with a nice pass. Eakins started to drop cylinders and never got them to clean up.

---

Left Lane: Fred Hanssen Runs 5.593/259.41, Now #2
Right Lane: Bill Litton Runs 5.917/219.44, Now #3

Hanssen started to drift out of the groove, but reeled it right back in for a good pass. Litton was dropping cylinders right at the hit and neve got it to clean up.

---

Left Lane: Alan Bradshaw Runs 5.283/277.37, Now #1
Right Lane: Derik Milanesio Runs 5.324/270.05, Now #2

This was a good looking drag race, both cars straight down the groove to go to the number one and two spots. Bradshaw launched hard and kept it hooked up and Milanesio was right there with him, Alan Bradshaw's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.443, 660ft-3.551/227.42 mph, 1,000ft-4.481.
Derik Milanesio's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.413, 660ft-3.540/221.85 mph, 1,000ft-4.498.

---

Left Lane: Don St. Arnaud Runs 10.674/99.91, Now #8
Right Lane: Ashley Sanford Runs 5.562/260.36, Now #4

St. Arnaud is up in smoke as soon as he hits the throttle. Sanford with a clean pass to start the weekend. Ashley Sanford's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.583, 660ft-3.742/217.21 mph, 1,000ft-4.715.

---

Left Lane: Casey Grisel Runs 5.342/266.95, Now #3
Right Lane: Krista Baldwin Runs 5.905/266.90, Now #7

Grissel launched hard and kept it hooked up to go to the number three spot. Casey Grisel's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.412, 660ft-3.550/220.48 mph, 1,000ft-4.511. Baldwin labored off the starting line, but got it to hook up on the top end.

---

Left Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 14.161/85.20, Now #12
Right Lane: Garrett Bateman Runs 5.342/270.21, Now #3

Ahten is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Bateman was straight down the groove with a real nice pass and big top end charge to go to the number three spot. Garrett Bateman's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.449, 660ft-3.568/224.17 mph, 1,000ft-4.518.

---

Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 9.879/127.81, Now #12
Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.355/269.56, Now #5

Shields is up in smoke right at the hit and pedals it a couple times before he lifts. Demke with a nice pass to start the weekend. Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.396, 660ft-3.542/215.65 mph, 1,000ft-4.521.

---

Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.300/268.28, Now #3
Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 5.285/272.72, Now #2

This is a great drag race as these two go to the number two and three spots. They both are straight down the groove. Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.489/217.32 mph, 1,000ft-4.466.
Joey Severance's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.358, 660ft-3.490/219.01 mph, 1,000ft-4.460.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink