Sun, 06 Aug 2017, 15:54 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

KENT, Wash. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Garrett Bateman                         1 Joey Severance               
E1                   0.033 14.975  78.47     ****WINNER****  0.032  5.290 272.94
 Qualified:             #6  5.371 274.11                        #3  5.270 272.34

12:24 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 29.60 inches, adjusted altitude 2,324 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

Severance is 6 - 2 against Bateman in prior events.

Bateman strikes the tires hard right off the line and slows.

Severance runs close to his qualifying ET with a little better speed to take the easy win.

Joey Severance's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.376, 660ft-3.503/219.26 mph, 1,000ft-4.468.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Shawn Cowie                            76 Johnny Ahten                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.111  5.223 276.13                     0.076  5.371 268.28
 Qualified:             #2  5.234 275.96                        #7  5.531 263.82

Ahten is 2 - 1 against Cowie in prior events.

Ahten is away first, but Cowie flies right on by for the pest ET and speed of the weekend on a great looking pass.

He will have lane choice next round over Severance.

Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.343, 660ft-3.459/221.45 mph, 1,000ft-4.412.
Johnny Ahten's incremental times: 60ft-0.954 sec., 330ft-2.454, 660ft-3.590/221.02 mph, 1,000ft-4.546.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  697 John Leach                            628 Kim Parker                   
E1                   0.102  6.046 183.49     ****WINNER****  0.104  5.274 274.11
 Qualified:             #8  5.732 210.73                        #1  5.228 270.54

This is the first time Leach and Parker have faced each other in eliminations.

Just 0.002 difference in RT and Parker drive away for the win.

Leach is off the pedal early and coasting.

John Leach's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.551, 660ft-3.785/200.98 mph, 1,000ft-4.902.
Kim Parker's incremental times: 60ft-0.947 sec., 330ft-2.413, 660ft-3.521/225.63 mph, 1,000ft-4.461.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                          686 Todd Swinford                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  6.930 227.19                     0.090  7.612 149.12
 Qualified:             #5  5.368 257.43                        #4  5.313 266.69

This is the first time Grisel and Swinford have faced each other in eliminations.

PEDALFEST!!

They both strike the tires at the green and start to slap the pedals back and forth. Swinford has a huge wheelstand and then gets dead sideways way down the track.

Grisel gets the win and loses lane choice to Parker next round.

12:36 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink