Sat, 19 Aug 2017, 16:14 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  558 Mike Edstrom                            9 Jackie Fricke                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.316 265.01                     0.071  5.340 273.22
 Qualified:             #8  5.327 263.67                        #7  5.315 271.35

Weather conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 46 percent, barometer 28.56 inches, adjusted altitude 3,882 feet.

Mike Edstrom became the 600th driver to qualify for a Top Alcohol Dragster field. Mike qualified for the Funny Car field here in 1990.

Tom Conway is turning the knobs on Edstrom's car...

Fricke gets the starting line advantage, but Edstrom has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. Mike Edstrom's MOV: 0.0106 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  530 Alan Bradshaw                          57 James Stevens                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.029  5.328 272.72                     0.049  5.357 267.11
 Qualified:             #6  5.312 269.19                        #9  5.328 268.33

Stevens is 1 - 0 against Bradshaw in prior events.

Bradshaw with the starting line advantage, but Stevens has the lead when they go by the Christmas tree. Bradshaw drives back around him just past half track and takes the win. Alan Bradshaw's MOV: 0.0492 seconds (approximately 19 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1211 Justin Ashley                          54 Dean Dubbin                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  5.313 266.16                     0.017  6.439 170.08
 Qualified:             #3  5.297 263.26                       #12  5.421 263.56

This is the first time Ashley and Dubbin have faced each other in eliminations.

Dubbin with a great light and then had a lot tire shake and pedaled it. That is where Ashley drove around him and never trailed from there on for the win. Ashley will have lane choice over Bradshaw in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Joey Severance                        332 Bob Sargent                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.119  5.319 270.32                     0.267  5.558 253.85
 Qualified:             #2  5.295 271.95                       #13  5.532 243.90

This is the first time Severance and Sargent have faced each other in eliminations.

Joey Severance is the defending event champion. He was also runner-up in 2015.

Severance have problems before they fired the car, the word was the was a problem with the air bottle, they got it fixed.

Severance with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will give up lane choice to Edstrom in the next round by 0.003 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  589 Gord Gingles                         3928 Marina Anderson              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  5.261 274.55                     0.222  5.580 229.98
 Qualified:             #1  5.283 274.61                       #14  5.549 229.74

This is Marina Anderson's first national race in the alky dragster class. She becomes the 38th woman to qualify for a TAD field.

She won the the Never Rest Award this weekend...

Gingles with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs low E.T. of the event for the win. He will have a bye in the next round. Gord Gingles' incremental times: 60ft-0.948 sec., 330ft-2.412, 660ft-3.512/231.40 mph, 1,000ft-4.450.

Anderson made a clean pass in her losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Megan Meyer                          4255 Alex Laughlin                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  5.361 270.05                     0.119  5.402 267.00
 Qualified:             #4  5.298 274.44                       #11  5.359 263.82

This is the first time Meyer and Laughlin have faced each other in eliminations.

Meyer with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   35 Robin Samsel                            6 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.011  9.946  85.75     ****WINNER****  0.094  5.353 267.53
 Qualified:             #5  5.311 259.01                       #10  5.352 270.48

Shields is 3 - 0 against Samsel in prior events.

Duane Shields was runner-up here last year.

Samsel with a great light, but was up in smoke right off the starting line and pedaled it but by then Shields was long gone.

Shields is just a tick off his qualifying time and will have lane choice over Meyer in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink