Sat, 10 Nov 2018, 21:08 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 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
   52 James Stevens                        4824 Shane Conway                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.086  5.384 275.90                     0.036  5.814 259.76
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Cowie     ) 0.110  5.368 236.84      (D Shields   ) 0.071  5.322 267.06
 Qualified:            #17  5.603 267.48                        #9  5.327 266.95

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer 28.80 inches, adjusted altitude 2,428 feet, track temperature 75 degrees.

This is the first time Stevens and Conway have faced each other in eliminations.

Conway with a great light, but Stevens has the lead by 150 feet and never trails from there on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   17 Dan Mercier                             1 Joey Severance               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  5.517 274.55                     0.064  6.674 153.60
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D St Arnaud ) 0.111  5.401 275.73      (C Grisel    ) 0.055  5.238 274.00
 Qualified:             #7  5.298 277.37                        #2  5.204 277.83

Mercier and Severance have each won 1 times against the other in prior events.

Severance with the starting line advantage, but started to lose traction and Mercier grabbed the lead by 300 feet. He never trailed from there on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 8002 Julie Nataas                         7610 Derik Milanesio              
E2   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.272 278.92                     0.098  5.499 260.61
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Ahten     ) 0.074  5.431 275.73      (K Parker    ) 0.054  5.279 275.22
 Qualified:             #3  5.232 279.79                       #11  5.374 270.27

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

Nataas with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She runs low E.T. of the round and will have lane choice over Mercier in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  611 Garrett Bateman                         5 Jackie Fricke                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.498 256.70                     0.061 No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Eakins    ) 0.057  5.268 277.66      (K Baldwin   ) 0.052  5.298 273.83
 Qualified:             #4  5.266 277.37                        #5  5.291 274.44

Bateman is 2 - 0 against Fricke in prior events.

Bateman with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He started mixing up cylinders on the top end, but gets the win. He will give up lane choice to Stevens in the next round.

Fricke has severe tire shake right at the hit and clicks it off an comes to a stop on the track.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink