Sun, 28 Oct 2018, 17:18 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 3 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 8002 Julie Nataas                            5 Jackie Fricke                
E3   ****WINNER****  0.112  5.310 273.94                     0.076  5.530 204.42
 Prior rounds:
E2    (F Hanssen   ) 0.041  5.321 271.02      (S Cowie     ) 0.062  5.280 266.69
E1    (A Bradshaw  ) 0.138  5.423 270.05      (T Bruce     ) 0.049  5.277 266.42
 Qualified:             #4  5.270 272.56                        #8  5.305 265.74

2:11 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 22 percent, barometer 27.87 inches, adjusted altitude 4,473 feet, track temperature 106 degrees.

This is the first time Nataas and Fricke have faced each other in eliminations.

Fricke gets out of the gate first, extends her lead through half track, then her engine has problems and Nataas goes around for the win.

Julie Nataas' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.047), 330 ft(-0.088), 660ft(-0.103), 1,000ft(-0.029). MOV: 0.1848 seconds (approximately 55 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Joey Severance                        765 Duane Shields                
E3   ****WINNER****  0.052  5.271 274.78                    -0.026  5.721 259.61
 Prior rounds:
E2    (S Conway    ) 0.043  5.231 275.51      (G Bateman   ) 0.109  5.330 272.39
E1    (D Mercier   ) 0.028  5.294 273.05      (C Ferre     ) 0.105  5.304 272.67
 Qualified:             #3  5.245 275.06                        #2  5.203 276.58

Severance and Shields have each won 7 times against the other in prior events.

Shields leaves too soon and goes red and then puts out a cylinder. Severance goes right down the groove with another good pass to take the win.

Severance will have lane choice over Nataas in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink