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Sat, 10 Nov 2018, 17:54 PM

Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   17 Dan Mercier                          6067 Don St. Arnaud               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.111  5.401 275.73                     0.074  5.439 267.27
 Qualified:             #7  5.298 277.37                       #10  5.373 276.01

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 14 percent, barometer 28.79 inches, adjusted altitude 2,774 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.
This is the first time Mercier and St. Arnaud have faced each other in eliminations.

St. Arnaud with the starting line advantage and the lead until right in the lights when Mercier chased him down for the win in a close one. Dan Mercier's MOV: 0.0013 seconds (approximately 6 inches).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                            1 Joey Severance               
E1                   0.035  5.374 262.59     ****WINNER****  0.055  5.238 274.00
 Qualified:            #15  5.466 258.96                        #2  5.204 277.83

Severance is 1 - 0 against Grisel in prior events.

Grisel with the starting line advantage, but Severance had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. He will have lane choice over Mercier in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 725K Krista Baldwin                          5 Jackie Fricke                
E1                   0.155  5.496 264.03     ****WINNER****  0.052  5.298 273.83
 Qualified:            #12  5.402 258.17                        #5  5.291 274.44

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

Fricke with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She is just off her qualifying time for the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 8002 Julie Nataas                          734 Johnny Ahten                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.074  5.431 275.73                     0.047  5.505 265.90
 Qualified:             #3  5.232 279.79                       #14  5.417 268.97

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

Ahten with the starting line advantage, but Nataas chases him down by 800 feet and takes the win. Julie Nataas' MOV: 0.0476 seconds (approximately 19 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  628 Kim Parker                           7610 Derik Milanesio              
E1                   0.091  5.490 265.12     ****WINNER****  0.054  5.279 275.22
 Qualified:             #6  5.296 271.79                       #11  5.374 270.27

This is the first time Parker and Milanesio have faced each other in eliminations.
Milanesio with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs his career quickest and fastest pass for the win. He will have lane choice over Nataas in the next round.

Parker is dropping cylinders right at the hit and never got it to clean up.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  611 Garrett Bateman                      7402 Randy Eakins                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.057  5.268 277.66                     0.052  5.438 256.70
 Qualified:             #4  5.266 277.37                       #13  5.404 262.90

This is the first time Bateman and Eakins have faced each other in eliminations. Eakins with the slight starting line advantage, but Bateman has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trails from there on for the win. Bateman is just a few ticks off his qualifying time for the win. Bateman will have lane choice over Fricke in the next round.

Eakins is dropping cylinders right at the hit and never got it to clean up.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  765 Duane Shields                        4824 Shane Conway                 
E1                   0.091 12.330  86.09     ****WINNER****  0.071  5.322 267.06
 Qualified:             #8  5.319 273.00                        #9  5.327 266.95

This is the first time Shields and Conway have faced each other in eliminations.
Conway with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

Shields is up in smoke right at the hit.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Shawn Cowie                            52 James Stevens                
E1                   0.104  5.397 276.01     ****WINNER****  0.110  5.368 236.84
 Qualified:             #1  5.203 280.54                       #17  5.603 267.48

Stevens is in as an alternate for Hanssen. Cowie is 3 - 1 against Stevens in prior events. Cowie with the slight starting line advantage, but dropped a cylinder early and was out of the groove. He got over by the centerline, but reeled it in. He could not chase Stevens down. Stevens with the win. James Stevens' MOV: 0.0232 seconds (approximately 9 feet). He will give up lane choice to Conway in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink