Sat, 09 Feb 2019, 20:36 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, 59th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   54 James Stevens                           7 Duane Shields                
E1                   0.070  5.332 265.69     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.279 276.41
 Qualified:             #7  5.281 273.16                        #8  5.311 274.83

Weather conditions: air temperature 62 degrees, relative humidity 47 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 1,904 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

Stevens and Shields have each won 1 times against the other in prior events.

Duane Shields is a three-time Winternationals champ and he is the reigning Division 1 TAD champion.

Shields with a couple tick advantage on the tree and never trailed for the win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

Stevens with problems as he crosses the finish line no chutes. He is on the brakes hard but is in the sand and through it into the net. He is out of the car, but will be transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Joey Severance                        724 Casey Grisel                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.026  9.895  91.94                    -0.094  5.659 264.03
 Qualified:             #6  5.275 274.89                        #9  5.321 270.75

The cars were sent back to the pits, so they could run the Mello Yello Series qualifying. After a 2 1/2 hour delay the cars are back.

Weather conditions: air temperature 60 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 28.86 inches, adjusted altitude 1,776 feet, track temperature 71 degrees.

Joey Severance won the Winternationals in 2017 and was runner-up in 2008 and 2010.

Severance is 2 - 0 against Grisel in prior events.

Grisel goes red to give Severance the win. Severance shook and shut it off but gets the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 320X Matt Sackman                          750 Dusty Green                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  5.286 266.00                     0.078  6.088 219.12
 Qualified:             #2  5.181 276.52                       #13 20.697  54.04

This is the first national event for Matt Sackman. He is the 611th different driver to qualify in the TAD class.

Sackman with the starting line advantage and the win. He will get a bye in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7402 Randy Eakins                           10 Chris Demke                  
E1                   0.453 17.059  57.08     ****WINNER****  0.011  5.260 275.51
 Qualified:            #10  5.396 268.38                        #5  5.270 276.24

Chris Demke has been to the final round six times at this event, including four wins. His last was in 2015. Overall he is 27 - 11 at the Winternationals.

Randy Eakins' first Winternationals was in 2004.

Demke is 3 - 1 against Eakins in prior events.

Demke with a great light and the win. He makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

Eakins with tire shake and clicks it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Julie Nataas                         725K Krista Baldwin               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  5.291 279.04                     0.088  5.643 264.80
 Qualified:             #4  5.223 281.13                       #11  5.467 262.79

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

Nataas with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. she will give up lane choice to Demke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  611 Garrett Bateman                      7610 Derik Milanesio              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.050  5.516 259.91                     0.058  9.284  87.53
 Qualified:             #3  5.220 275.73                       #12 15.460  73.19

Garrett Bateman was runner-up here in 2017 and 2018.

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

Bateman with the starting line advantage and the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Shawn Cowie                                Bye
E1   ****WINNER****  0.084 11.400  67.08     
 Qualified:             #1  5.166 280.25                     Bye

Shawn Cowie won here in 2016 and 2018.

Cowie with the bye here.

He has severe tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off. He will give up lane choice to Shields in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink