Sat, 23 Feb 2019, 14:37 PM Competition Eliminator Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 1 qualifying in Competition Eliminator at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, amount over/under index, and position in order following run, class and class index:

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Left Lane: Don Bevers Runs 9.088/104.36/0.558, Now #2 A/SMA Index: 8.53
Right Lane: Eric Bell Runs 8.756/151.32/0.006, Now #1 AH/SM Index: 8.75

12:14 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 54 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.07 inches, adjusted altitude 1,078 feet, track temperature 81 degrees.

Bell may be the first Hemi SS/AH car to try to qualify in the new AH/SM class. He makes a clean pass, just 0.006 off of the index.

Bevers makes a early shutoff.

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Left Lane: Randy Jones Runs 8.757/123.61/-0.053, Now #1 C/T Index: 8.81
Right Lane: Bill Kent Runs 23.188/27.85/15.948, Now #4 B/D Index: 7.24

Jones gets to the finish line under power and runs just under his index.

Kent has too much power for the track and is coasting early.

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Left Lane: Jim Cowan Runs 9.517/104.15/0.747, Now #5 D/EA Index: 8.77
Right Lane: Tony Mandella Runs 8.046/170.02/-0.444, Now #1 A/SMA Index: 8.49

Cowan has a good lead and then slowly drifts towards the wall. He lifts early.

Mandella makes a clean pass to get ready for round one later today. #1 for now.

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Left Lane: Ryan Warter No Time, Now #8 F/SM Index: 9.28
Right Lane: Ed Federkeil Jr Runs 7.201/195.65/-0.419, Now #2 B/AA Index: 7.62

Federkeil launches hard and has the Avenger get loose around half track. He stays after it and will move into the #2 spot for now.

Warter continues to have issues off the line, like he did at Pomona. The Camaro sits in the lights at the green, lurches forward, and then backs out and drives away.

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Left Lane: Jarrod Granier Runs 8.651/155.97/-0.449, Now #1 E/SM Index: 9.10
Right Lane: Kevin Carter Runs 8.023/160.77/0.463, Now #6 B/ND Index: 7.56

Carter makes a straight pass to the finish line to get into the field in #6.

Granier makes a strong pass right up to the top of the ladder.

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Left Lane: Todd Miller Runs 6.492/196.96/-0.498, Now #2 AA/AM Index: 6.99
Right Lane: Ralph Van Paepeghem Runs 7.286/175.68/-0.524, Now #1 A/EA Index: 7.81

Two very different Altereds come to the line.

Miller's blown motor is loud and strong, but slows a little on the top end. Still good enough for #2.

Van Paepeghem is second off the line, but runs fifty under to take the new top spot.

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Left Lane: Joe Mozeris Runs 7.645/148.94/0.165, Now #8 B/ED Index: 7.48
Right Lane: Doug Lambeck No Time, Now #14 D/SMA Index: 8.93

Lambeck is leaving "Stuff" on the starting line and is shut off.

Mozeris has too much tune up for the track and goes into shake and spin around the tree. He pumps, lifts, and coasts on down.

12:30 p.m. Van Paepeghem is number one at -0.524 and Field not filled, no bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink